Best Online Poker Sites in Germany 2026

Top poker sites for German poker players

• 

  4.5

  #1

  4.5

  CoinPoker

  Independent

  

  Bonus

  150% up to $2,000

  

  Rakeback

  up to 90%

  CodeWPD

  ReviewSign up

  

  United States is accepted

  • Crypto accepted

  18+ | T&C applyPlay Responsibly

  Details
• 

  4.7

  #2

  4.7

  BetOnline

  Chico Poker Network

  

  Bonus

  100% up to $1,000

  

  Rakeback

  10%+

  ReviewSign up

  

  United States is accepted

  • Crypto accepted

  18+ | T&C applyPlay Responsibly

  Details
• 

  4.4

  #3

  4.4

  Phenom Poker

  Independent

  

  Bonus

  150% up to $3,000

  

  Rakeback

  up to 40%

  ReviewSign up

  

  United States is accepted

  • Crypto accepted

  18+ | T&C applyPlay Responsibly

  Details
• 

  4.8

  #4

  4.8

  GGPoker

  GG Network

  

  Bonus

  100% up to $600

  

  Rakeback

  up to 80%

  CodeWPDEALS

  ReviewSign up

  

  United States is not accepted

  • Crypto accepted

  18+ | T&C applyPlay Responsibly

  Details

Online poker in Germany is available to players on licensed poker sites. It's legal if the website has a licence and follows all the rules. In addition, players from Germany have access to a large number of offshore poker sites that don't receive a licence in Germany, but hold one in Anjouan or Panama instead. Our team will consider all the options for how you can play online poker in Germany, so that you can choose the safest and most convenient way.

Reach our team of experts to get advice on where and how to play safely.

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GGPoker - best legal poker site

GGPoker is one of the few poker sites officially licensed to operate in Germany. The site received the first nationwide German poker licence in November 2022 and operates under strict regulation. A separate domain GGPoker.de operates for German players.

The lobby offers Hold'em and Omaha cash tables, including the Rush&Cash fast poker format. The game is played 24/7, with tables up to $10/$20.

Licensing restrictions do not prevent Germans from participating in major online series, including WSOP Online.

GGPoker.de has several differences from its global analogue:

• Rake is 6%.
• Maximum deposit bonus is 100 euros.
• Multitabling is limited to 4 tables.
• No cryptocurrencies in the cashier, only payment methods licensed in the EU.

BetOnline poker

BetOnline is an offshore poker site with a Panama licence that accepts players from Germany. The site has run on the Chico Poker Network for years. Full details in our BetOnline review.

Players have access to Hold'em cash games and several Omaha variants with stakes up to $5/$10. Most NLH traffic comes from full ring tables.

Millions of dollars circulate in BetOnline tournaments every month. The top Main Event has a guarantee of $100K to $200K. Windfall Spins with multipliers up to x10,000 and classic SnGs with buy-ins up to $100 are available in the lobby.

For the first deposit, players receive a 100% bonus up to $1,000 (code POKER1000). After wagering it, you fall back on the VIP ladder — 10% base rakeback, climbing to 30% at the top tiers.

WPD players get VIP terms at BetOnline Poker — ask our manager for the details.

Unlike GGPoker.de, BetOnline offers players from Germany 18 cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals.

CoinPoker

CoinPoker is an offshore poker site with an Anjouan licence for players from Germany who want to skip verification altogether.  The platform is based on the blockchain and does not require account verification. All funds are stored on external wallets, and hands are processed through a decentralized RNG.

The CoinPoker client has a simple and classic interface. Players can choose cash tables for NLH, PLO, and PLO5 with stakes from micro limits to $5K/$10K, as well as take part in regular tournaments with guarantees of up to $200,000.

A 150% bonus up to $2,000 applies to the first deposit. The old flat rakeback is gone. Rewards now run through CoinRewards: CoinRaces leaderboards, Splash Pots and personal missions. Add the 3-Bet Club subscription and you hold 10–15% rakeback on top. Players registered through WPD also get access to the WPD Monthly Rake Chase with payouts up to $5,000.

The site is especially suitable for German players who are not satisfied with the restrictions of local legislation.

Phenom Poker

Phenom Poker is the youngest site on this list — launched in 2024, independent, community-owned (a DAO), with Brian Rast, Viktor Blom and Dan Cates among its backers. It holds an Anjouan licence, not a German one, and it accepts players from Germany. It also offers the widest game selection of our picks: NLH cash up to $200/$400, five flavours of Omaha up to 2K/4K, plus Stud, Draw, Mixed games and OFC.

The first deposit is matched at 150% up to $3,000. The bonus is released in 10% increments over 45 days, with 25% rakeback running while you clear it. The loyalty program pays 10–40% rakeback across five levels, with the top rate tied to staking PHNM. Through WPD you also get access to the Monthly Rake Chase, with 5% rakeback on top.

One caveat: traffic is low — expect around 100–200 connections at peak, with the action concentrated from $5/$10 up. The cashier is crypto-native (CHIP, pegged 1:1 to the dollar), with fiat on-ramps via card, Apple Pay or PayPal; KYC is required. Full breakdown in our Phenom Poker review.

How do we choose the best German poker sites

Poker sites operating in regulated markets have already passed the necessary regulatory checks, so they are considered reliable by default. At Worldpokerdeals, however, we look at a wide range of factors to help our players choose sites that offer good promotions, rakeback and 24/7 traffic:

• Licence. A valid licence ensures the operator meets Germany's strict player protection and anti-addiction standards. As for offshore poker websites, we recommend Malta, Isle of Man or UKGC.
• Background and reviews. Look up the company that operates the platform and its reputation. Also, read reviews from real players who have played on a poker site. Some of the offshore sites included in our list have more than 10 years of experience on the market.
• Security measures. For example, it's great when the platform conducts checks like KYC and implements SSL encryption.
• Payment methods. We prefer convenient deposit and withdrawal methods, such as SEPA bank transfers, e-wallets or cryptocurrency. Also consider the limits and time frames for deposits and withdrawals.
• Games and traffic. We choose poker sites with strong traffic during European playing hours.

Licensed poker sites in Germany: the official GGL whitelist

Every legal poker site in Germany appears on the whitelist of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) — the joint gambling authority of the 16 federal states. Exactly five operators hold an online poker permit:

That is the whole list. If a site is not on it, it does not have a German licence. For example, the most popular online poker sites like WPT Global, CoinPoker, BetOnline and Phenom Poker all sit on that side of the line. You can verify any operator yourself against the official register.

Legal background of online poker in Germany

Online poker is legal in Germany, but only under strict national regulation. In July 2021, the Interstate Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 – GlüStV 2021) came into effect across all 16 federal states, creating a unified framework for online gambling, including, of course, online poker.

Operators must obtain a licence from the GGL, based in Saxony-Anhalt, to legally operate in Germany. The authority has been fully operational since January 2023. Providers licensed in other EU countries (e.g., Malta) are not legal for use within Germany, which puts all offshore sites in the grey area of law.

As for players, they can legally play online poker if:

• They are 18 or older.
• Play on a GGL-licensed site.
• Verify their identity.
• Accept the standard €1,000 monthly deposit limit.

All these changes brought with them some restrictions. The monthly deposit limit is too low to play any stake beyond NL50, and MTT regs won't be allowed to play the most exciting events. This is one of the most complex requirements of the German framework.

Germany also charges a 5.3% tax on poker stakes. The tax is paid by the poker site and comes back to you as higher rake and fewer promotions.

On the other hand, no poker format is banned outright, and German players are not locked into a closed domestic market. The framework makes games safer for casual players, although they won't be able to mix poker with casino games for now.

Offshore poker sites still accept German users, but they are not licensed or regulated in Germany. Technically, playing on an unlicensed site falls under Section 285 of the German Criminal Code — participation in unauthorised gambling. In practice players are not prosecuted, but they also have no legal protection if a dispute goes wrong.

Regulation of online poker sites in Germany

There are several important requirements for the poker platforms as well, apart from getting the GGL licence:

• A monthly deposit cap of €1,000 (poker and slots).
• A table cap of four.
• All players must verify their identity and address.
• A "panic button" on every table with a 24-hour self-exclusion period.
• No multi-lobbying is allowed.
• Only payment methods licensed in the EU can be offered in the cashier.
• Blind lobby (random table seating).
• The creation of a common database including win/losses.
• No casino games like Blackjack or Roulette should be offered (only slots allowed).
• P2P transfers are not allowed.
• An office in the EU/EEA is required.
• Operators must show complete information about fees and payouts.
• The client must show an hourly pop-up message with a mandatory acknowledgement.

Two national systems hold this together. LUGAS is the central database that tracks your €1,000 limit across every licensed operator — switching sites doesn't reset it. OASIS is the nationwide self-exclusion register, checked at every login.

Global operators like GGPoker, partypoker, PokerStars, or Unibet have reacted to these rules in different ways, but clearly, some points have made it very problematic for professional poker players to keep playing online.

The Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021) created a national framework for licensing and supervising online gambling, including poker. It implemented strict rules, but ensured greater state control and consumer protection. Now, the licensed platforms are dominating, although players still have access to offshore sites.

Licensed vs offshore: what you actually pay

The German licence costs the player more than the tax line suggests. The 5.3% stake tax lands in the operator's books and comes back out of yours: GGPoker.de runs a 6% rake against 5% on the global client, tournament cashouts on the .de client arrive about 3% lighter, and loyalty rewards are trimmed on top.

Offshore sites answer with economics. They tend to have more poker tables, a wider selection of games, and very good liquidity plus no deposit caps and rakeback measured in tens of percent, not single digits. 

What the licence buys instead is protection: GGL oversight, LUGAS and OASIS working for you rather than against you, and a regulator to complain to when something goes wrong. Offshore poker sites buys economics; the licence buys recourse. The answer to this depends on how much you want to win and how you feel. There is no single right answer.

Payment methods for German players

The cashier of a licensed site covers more ground than the law's reputation suggests. At PokerStars.de you can deposit with Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, PayPal, Skrill, NETELLER, paysafecard, Klarna and Apple Pay; withdrawals run back to cards, e-wallets, PayPal, Apple Pay or straight to your bank account.

Most German-licensed poker sites enforce a universal monthly deposit cap of €1,000 as required by law. The minimum deposits can start from €10 or €20. If you use Sofort, PayPal, or Skrill for deposits, they will be almost instant, while SEPA bank transfers may take 1 to 3 business days.

Can you raise the €1,000 limit? Yes, it is possible, but not by switching sites: the cap is tracked in LUGAS across every licensed operator, so it follows you. What works is an individual application. You need to prove your income and assets, and a higher personal limit can be set. For a grinder, that is the only legal way past €1,000 a month.

Crypto remains an offshore story: BetOnline takes 18 coins, while CoinPoker and Phenom Poker are crypto-native.

Live poker in Germany

Live poker in Germany is legal and available at licensed land-based casinos. Each federal state of the country regulates its own gambling facilities. Most larger cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Wiesbaden, have legal casinos that offer live poker cash games and tournaments. The best-known venue is Casino Schenefeld near Hamburg: in 2026 it hosts the Monster Pokertour in February and the Opening Poker Tournament in November. Spielbank Berlin runs the Summer Cup in July; Spielbank Stuttgart marks its anniversary with the Lucky Thirty in September.

As for the visitors, most casinos and poker card rooms will ask for a casual dress code and will surely check your ID. You need to be at least 18 to play, or 21 in locations like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

As legal poker rooms must obtain a licence, all private poker clubs or underground games that involve rake or entry fees but work without a licence will be considered illegal. It can cause a fine or imprisonment for up to 2 years. However, if you simply wish to play poker at home without a rake for a host, you are free to do so.

Best German poker players

The names of the country's TOP-10 according to The Hendon Mob are well-known far beyond Germany: Fedor Holz, Christoph Vogelsang, Rainer Kempe, Koray Aldemir, Ole Schemion, Dominik Nitsche, Hossein Ensan, Steffen Sontheimer, Leon Sturm and Manig Loeser. Every one of them has won more than $12 million in live tournaments.

Holz, 33, has officially finished his poker career, yet still tops the list with $50.6 million in live earnings. He began actively playing online tournaments in 2013, won the WCOOP Main Event the following year for $1.3 million, and took more than $22 million from live tournaments in 2015–2016. In recent years, the "poker prodigy" has only occasionally appeared at the tables of the most expensive tournaments.

In terms of WSOP bracelets, Germany ranks 3rd in the world with 78 victories. Four of them belong to George Danzer (2014 and 2016) and three to Dominik Nitsche — who also remains the country's strongest online MTT player, with more than $8.5 million in online cashes.

Responsible gambling

Responsible gambling is taken very seriously in Germany. For example, all licensed platforms must offer deposit limits and session timers. Features like auto-play must be blocked so as not to make the game process easier. In addition, Germany uses a national self-exclusion system called OASIS, which allows players to voluntarily exclude themselves from all licensed gambling operators.

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