- Casino
- By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- By State
- Slots
- Poker
- Sports
- Esports
Fact-checked by Angel Hristov
German Trade Body Warns: Slot Channelization at 20%-40%
The debate surrounding channelization has been a hot-button issue for regulators and stakeholders, with both camps arguing against the other’s view on the matter

Ask the German Gambling Regulator or Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) what the country’s channelization rate is, and you will get an idea that things are not ideal but they are moving in the right direction.
Channelization Should Be Easy to Determine – in Germany, It Is Not
Ask the private sector, however, and you get grumbling responses about what many stakeholders see as the regulator being out of touch with reality.
A recent estimate put forward by the Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV), a trade body, suggests that the channelization for online slots in Germany is hovering at anything between 20% and 40%, as originally reported by iGaming Business.
Lawmakers have been upset over smaller amounts. The DOCV revealed the numbers during a networking event hosted at ICE last week. The data, argued Dirk Quermann who is the president of the trade body, was based on the estimates by academics.
Things look similarly bleak in the sports betting sector, where channelization is anything between 60% and 70%, argues Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV)’s boss, Matthias Dahms.
Channelization is the metric that is used to assess how much of a country’s gambling is funnelled through its regulated market, and how much of the gambling that happens – usually online – ends up with overseas bad actors that target and offer their products to local players without seeking a license first.
According to Dahms, GGL’s estimates are simply too low to be realistic, something that the watchdog has denied time and again. For the GGL’s part, the regulator has stipulated that it simply uses a different methodology to arrive at its results, hence the difference.
The GGL for example believes that only 4% of the gambling market is held by illegal operators. This is not to say that DOCV or DSWV are looking to sour their relationship with the regulator, but representatives have argued that in order to move past the issue, stakeholders, lawmakers, and the regulator would have to find common ground.
Over-reaching Regulation Bites into Market Competitiveness
Some of the flagging channelization can be ascribed to over-reaching regulatory frameworks that have tempered the competitiveness of slot games, which have thus been found to not be appealing enough to the players they serve.
Although there have been changes in the regulatory makeup, the legacy of onerous red tape continues to bite into the competitiveness of the regulated market. Whatever the objective truth, an agreement on how to estimate the actual channelization rate in Germany can only help the industry prosper and the illegal black market to diminish.
Related Topics:
Although Fiona doesn't have a long-spanning background within the gambling industry, she is an incredibly skilled journalist who has built a strong interest in the constantly growing iGaming network. The team at Gambling News is glad to have her on our roster to help deliver the best stories as soon as they hit. Aside from writing, she loves to dabble in online casino games such as slots and roulette, both for her own enjoyment and also as research to better improve her understanding of the industry.
Previous Article
Casino
January 28, 2025
Malta Casino Mogul Suspect in Journalist Murder Case Granted Bail
Must Read
More Articles
Casino
February 7, 2025
Cedar Rapids Secures Long-Awaited Iowa Casino License
Casino
February 7, 2025
Macau Authorities Crack Down on Illegal Gambling Network
Industry
February 7, 2025
Fight Against Illegal Skill Machines in Michigan Intensifies
Sports
February 7, 2025
Donald Trump Could Be Professional Golf’s New Messiah
Casino
February 7, 2025
Royal Caribbean Drops Wine Bar in Favor of Non-Smoking Casino
Sports
February 7, 2025
CFTC Hints at Potential Change in Prediction Market Rules
Industry
February 6, 2025
Leaders Discuss the Future of Tribal Gaming under Trump