German gamblers who lost money on unlicensed online casinos and slot games could finally be able to take back their losses, after a series of important court decisions that have strengthened players’ ability to sue gambling operators.
Thousands of Possible Claims, Incoming
The rulings, including a decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and proceedings before Germany’s highest civil court, could expose gambling companies to thousands of compensation claims over bets placed when their services were prohibited under German law.
One of the most popular cases is that of Tipico Games, a Malta-based gambling operator. In September 2025, the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart decided to rule in favor of one of the operator’s players who had lost roughly EUR 10,000 ($11,200) between 2020 and 2022.
The court found that the operator had received the money without a valid legal basis because online gambling was prohibited or restricted under the rules applicable during the relevant period.
Tipico appealed to Germany’s Federal Court of Justice (BGH). During an initial oral hearing in September 2026, the court appeared to support a central argument made by the player: gamblers may be able to reclaim losses incurred when an operator lacked the required German license.
However, players might still need to wait until January 2027 for the final ruling in the case.
Ruling Strengthens Players’ Position
The legal dispute concerns Germany’s restrictions on online gambling before the introduction of a new regulatory framework in 2021. Although some operators held licenses in other European Union countries, those permits did not automatically authorize them to offer gambling services in Germany.
Earlier this year, in April, the European Court of Justice ruled that European Union legislation does not prevent member states from prohibiting certain gambling services or attaching civil-law consequences to violations of those restrictions.
The decision strengthened the legal basis for players seeking refunds from operators that offered prohibited services.
Thomas Dünchheim, a gambling law specialist at international law firm Greenberg Traurig, told DW that lawyers were already gathering potential claimants, including people who had lost tens of thousands of euros.
He compared the developing litigation to mass compensation cases in other industries, suggesting that legal financing firms could help consolidate individual claims into larger proceedings.
However, the outcome of individual lawsuits will depend on the circumstances of each case. Operators may argue that players who knowingly participated in unlawful gambling should not be entitled to recover their losses. Dünchheim said this question could become a significant point of dispute.
Addiction Concerns Make Matters Worse
The prospect of compensation has also raised questions about the impact on people with gambling problems.
Tobias Hayer, a psychologist at the University of Bremen’s Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, argued that online gambling can be particularly risky since it is anonymous, available at all hours of the day and night, and relies on frictionless cashless payments.
Moreover, he explained that it allows games to be played at high frequency, turning refunds into potential relief for those who experienced gambling-related harm.
However, the specialist also made sure to issue a warning: receiving a substantial payment without addressing the underlying addiction could increase the risk of returning to gambling.
For the time being, the level at which operators would be financially affected by these rulings is still uncertain.
The country’s courts are still busy trying to determine the best legal principles that should govern the refund claims. In other words, while recent decisions have strengthened the position of some players, they do not guarantee that every claimant will receive compensation.