Germany has one of the most debated gambling regulatory frameworks in Europe, and its most recent snapshot has just been published. The German Gambling Survey 2025, conducted between August and November of last year with 12,340 valid responses from residents aged 16 to 70, offers a nuanced picture: overall participation remains stable compared to 2021, but risk hotspots remain persistent and, in some segments, have intensified.
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The study was funded by the Deutscher Lotto- und Totoblock (DLTB) and executed by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research (ISD) in conjunction with the gambling research unit of the University of Bremen. Its methodology combined computer-assisted telephone interviews with online panels, allowing it to capture both digital platform users and in-person bettors.
Who gambles in Germany and how often
36.4% of respondents reported having participated in at least one paid gambling activity during the previous 12 months. The gender gap is notable: 40.4% of men gamble, compared to 32.4% of women. Contrary to what might be assumed, participation increases with age and peaks in the 56 to 70 age group, at 40.3%.
However, frequency also matters. 11.7% of respondents gambled at least once a week, and the average monthly expenditure varies significantly according to the player’s risk level: those without problems spend around $32 per month, those at risk reach $58, and those who already present mild or moderate problems shell out between $158 and $169 per month.
Gambling disorder affects 2.2% of German adults
Evaluated under the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), 2.2% of adults between 18 and 70 currently meet the criteria for gambling disorder. An additional 5.5% were classified in the risk category, meeting between one and three DSM-5 criteria.
Prevalence is considerably higher among men: 3.2% of them present clinical risk, compared to 1.1% of women. Young adults between 18 and 35 concentrate the highest rate of gambling disorder among all age groups, representing a direct warning sign for prevention policies oriented toward that segment.
Online slots lead risk levels by product
Not all games involve the same level of risk, and the survey confirms this with precise data. 7.5% of respondents reported having participated in activities classified as high risk, a category that includes slot machines, casino games, sports betting, and KENO.
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The highest disorder rates were recorded among online slot players, with a 32.5% prevalence. They are followed by those who participate in live sports betting, at 27%, and users of physical slot machines, at 23.4%. The combination of immediacy, digital accessibility, and high frequency of stimuli seems to be the common factor among the products that concentrate the most harm.
Advertising remains a disproportionate risk factor for the most vulnerable
An independent German study, cited within the framework of this research, identified that gambling advertising exerts a disproportionate influence on players in situations of greater vulnerability. People who already present gambling problems are significantly more likely to state that advertisements affect both their attitudes and their level of participation. This effect is especially pronounced among young men, the same group that also concentrates the highest rates of gambling disorder according to the main survey.
This finding reinforces the arguments in favor of stricter advertising restrictions, particularly during times and on platforms with high young audiences, and calls into question the effectiveness of the self-regulation models currently in place in the sector.
A risk map that public policy cannot ignore
The German Gambling Survey 2025 does not paint a catastrophic scenario, but it does not offer reasons for complacency either. Stability in general participation coexists with clinical disorder rates that affect millions of people, with clearly identifiable high-risk segments and emerging dynamics, such as speculative trading, that challenge traditional regulatory categories.
The study provides a solid empirical basis for reviewing both the design of protection tools and their communication to the public. The question that remains open is whether public policy makers will act on this data with the same speed with which the digital market continues to evolve.
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