GGL Fines Red Rhino for Operating Without a License

Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), Germany’s gambling regulator, has issued a fine to online casino operator Red Rhino. According to the authority, the operator had offered online gambling to German audiences despite lacking a license.

The GGL pointed out that Red Rhino had indeed taken down the platincasino.de brand, which was specifically directed toward German audiences. However, gamblers in Germany could still access the operator’s platincasino.com site and play.

The regulator emphasized that operators that are not licensed in Germany or are not included in GGL’s whitelist, should not offer their products to people in Germany. Since Red Rhino’s gambling products were nevertheless available to German audiences, the GGL opted to hand a €50,000 fine (around $53,000) to the operator.

In addition to fining Red Rhino, the GGL also issued a fine to the payment service provider that approved transactions from and to Red Rhino. However, the German regulator did not publicly announce the payment provider’s identity or the size of the fine.

GGL’s Actions Continue to Reshape the German Market

The GGL reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the German market from unlicensed operators. The regulator hopes that this will serve as a warning to other unlicensed companies that continue to offer their products in Germany.

The GGL highlighted the efficacy of these measures, noting that multiple unlicensed gambling operators had been pulling out of the market. This development continues to channel players to legal operators that offer better player protections and are supervised by the GGL.

Despite the favorable trends, the GGL will continue to combat unlicensed gambling for as long as offshore operators continue to target German gamblers.

Earlier this year, the GGL shut down the license of Tipster.de, an operator that filed for bankruptcy following an investigation into alleged large-scale money laundering and tax evasion. The decision added to the operator’s woes, making it harder for the struggling Tipster to sell off its assets.

In other news, the GGL recently expressed its disapproval of Malta’s Bill 55. The controversial measure restricts imposing judgments against Malta-licensed gambling companies, effectively protecting Maltese operators from regulatory action.

Under the newly introduced bill, only courts in Malta can enforce judgments on gambling companies with Maltese licenses. However, the GGL noted that this rule is incompatible with the established European regulations for gambling.