Germany’s gambling regulator has opened an investigation into ADI Predictstreet, the prediction market company promoted during football World Cup broadcasts through its partnership with FIFA. The review places renewed attention on the operator’s activities in Germany, where it does not hold a gambling licence, while several European regulators increase their focus on prediction market platforms.
The Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), which oversees gambling regulation across Germany’s federal states, confirmed that it is examining whether ADI Predictstreet’s World Cup advertising breached national rules. According to Inside World Football, the regulator is also assessing whether people located in Germany were able to access and use the company’s services.
ADI Predictstreet became FIFA’s official prediction market partner for the 2026 World Cup and gained extensive visibility through pitch-side LED boards, stadium screens, press conferences, and television broadcasts. Although the company holds a gambling intermediary license in Gibraltar and operates in the United States through arrangements connected to Fanatics and Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulation, it is not licensed to offer gambling products in Germany.
German Authorities Review Advertising and Market Access
German law restricts the promotion of gambling services offered by companies without local authorization. The country’s regulatory framework places strong emphasis on addiction prevention, youth protection, spending limits, and self-exclusion measures for players.
According to the GGL, the investigation considers whether ADI Predictstreet’s prominent World Cup exposure amounted to unlawful advertising. Authorities are also evaluating whether the platform was available to German consumers, which would constitute an unlicensed offering.
The regulator has a record of taking action against operators and promoters that target German audiences without authorization. Previous court decisions have supported enforcement measures even when gambling companies held licenses elsewhere in Europe. In one example cited during discussions surrounding the case, a German-language gambling promoter living outside the country was still found subject to German rules because the content targeted German viewers.
Following intervention from the GGL, ADI Predictstreet restricted access for users located in Germany. Reports indicate that visitors attempting to access the platform from the country now receive the message: “Access from your location (DE) is restricted (Country DE is blocked)”.
A GGL spokesperson told German media: “As a result of the supervisory measures and the official intervention, the provider has since reacted and blocked access to its service for users from Germany.”
The regulator also stated that the move means gambling services accessible from Germany will no longer be advertised.
ADI Predictstreet previously argued that it had not violated German law and maintained that it did not conduct marketing campaigns specifically aimed at German consumers.
European Regulators Raise Concerns Over Prediction Markets
The German investigation comes as regulators across Europe examine the growth of prediction markets. Nine European gambling authorities recently issued a joint warning addressing risks associated with the sector.
In their statement, regulators said: “It is important to emphasize that this type of platform involves serious risks of illegality, fund blocking, fraud through insider information, and financial volatility. Furthermore, because they are unregulated in most countries, they can create serious addiction problems.
“We will therefore be working closely together on this issue during this period; and in doing so we will not only ensure that gambling operators comply with regulations on advertising, betting integrity and player protection, but also act, where necessary, against prediction markets platforms that fail to comply with our local regulations.”
Authorities highlighted concerns involving consumer protection, gambling-related harm, market manipulation, transparency, fraud, and the use of privileged information. Several prediction market operators, including Kalshi and Polymarket, have already faced restrictions across European jurisdictions.
The Macolin Convention defines illegal sports betting as “any sports betting activity whose type or operator is not allowed under the applicable law of the jurisdiction where the consumer is located.”
Regulators also reminded sports organizations that sponsorship partners should comply with the laws of the countries in which they operate.
Expansion Continues Despite Regulatory Pressure
Even as German authorities increase scrutiny, ADI Predictstreet continues pursuing growth opportunities. The company recently announced a strategic partnership with prediction market operator Kalshi.
Under the agreement, Kalshi branding will appear alongside ADI Predictstreet across stadium, television, and digital placements. The companies also plan to launch a co-branded World Cup hub during the tournament’s knockout phase, offering football-related prediction markets, tournament information, and additional content.
The relationship links ADI Predictstreet with another operator that has experienced regulatory challenges. Kalshi has faced bans in several European markets and legal disputes in a number of U.S. states, despite reporting significant trading activity during the World Cup and securing partnerships with the national football teams of Argentina and Croatia.
ADI Predictstreet itself has faced questions since its launch. The company introduced its platform only shortly before the World Cup began, despite being announced as a FIFA partner months earlier. White-label arrangements with Matchbook in the United Kingdom and Fanatics in the United States have helped facilitate operations in certain markets.
Additional scrutiny has emerged through reporting that raised questions about the backgrounds of several individuals associated with the company, its Gibraltar licensing process, and delays surrounding its European launch.
FIFA has maintained that its partnership with ADI Predictstreet was completed in accordance with its governance procedures. However, German media reported that the football governing body had not publicly commented on the GGL’s action despite requests for clarification.
The case highlights the growing tension between global sports sponsorship agreements and national gambling regulations. While ADI Predictstreet gained worldwide exposure through one of football’s largest tournaments, regulators in Germany and elsewhere are examining whether that visibility complies with local legal requirements.