Sandro Kirchner named new chairman of Germany’s GGL
Sandro Kirchner, state secretary in the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior for Sport and Integration, has been announced as the new chairman of German gambling regulator Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL).
Kirchner officially assumed his new position at the GGL on 1 July. The organisation rotates its chairmanship annually in alphabetical order of its member states.
Kirchner takes over as chairman from Reiner Moser, head of the Ministry of the Interior for Digitalisation and Local Authorities for Baden-Württemberg.
Speaking on the role, Kirchner pointed to the prosecution of illegal operators and player protection as his main priorities.
“The work of the GGL must continue to be significantly geared towards the goal of ensuring that the business model of illegal gambling is not profitable in Germany,” he said. “We will certainly continue to face many challenges. However, I believe the GGL is well positioned to achieve this.”
Outgoing chair talks up role of GGL in tackling illegal operators
Moser stepped aside as chair after the traditional one-year stay in the position. During his tenure, the GGL took more control of the online market in Germany. However, Moser called for further efforts to clamp down on unlicensed activity.
“The online gambling market has developed rapidly in recent years,” he said. “The GGL has met the resulting challenges with great commitment and can already demonstrate remarkable results both in combating illegal gambling and in regulating and supervising the legal market.
“The exchange between the states and the GGL is always trusting and results-oriented.”
Is the Interstate Treaty due for an update?
The new appointment came after questions were recently raised over Germany’s Interstate Treaty on Gambling. According to both the Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV) and Michelle Hembury of Melchers Law, a refreshed treaty could address various issues in the country.
Specifically, the DOCV and Hembury highlighted IP blocking and confusion over deposit and stake limits. The current €1 stake limit on online slots and €1,000 monthly deposit limits on all online platforms is, according to some industry experts, too low to compete against illegal operators.
DOCV Vice President Simon Priglinger-Simader is among those advocating for change. He said current guidelines will not be applicable from next year and therefore an update is expected before 2026. Hembury has also spoken of the need to update the current rules.