One Week Away: Industry Voices Set Tone Ahead of iGaming Germany 2026

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One Week Away: Industry Voices Set Tone Ahead of iGaming Germany 2026

With just one week remaining, the 6th Annual iGaming Germany 2026 will take place on 21 – 22 May 2026 at the NOVOTEL München Messe in Munich, bringing together operators, legal specialists, compliance professionals, and technology providers for two days of focused discussion on the future of Germany’s gaming market.

As the industry continues to evolve ahead of the next review of the Interstate Treaty, multiple sectors are seeing increased focus on channelisation, regulatory refinement, player protection, and long-term market sustainability.

Operators across both online and retail verticals are exploring new approaches to compliance, technology, and customer engagement, making iGaming Germany 2026 and the inaugural Gaming Retail Summit a timely platform for industry discussion, insight, and collaboration.

Industry Perspectives Ahead of iGaming Germany 2026

Distinguished industry experts Claus Hambach, Founding and Managing Partner at Hambach & Hambach Rechtsanwälte, and Prof. Dr. Christian Piska, Faculty of Law at the University of Vienna, shared their insights on some of the key developments currently influencing the gaming landscape.

Claus Hambach, Founding and Managing Partner, Hambach & Hambach Rechtsanwälte

Claus remarked on a meaningful shift in how German regulators have been engaging with the market, noting that authorities have moved from limited dialogue to active participation in international conferences and open exchange with operators across the EU.

For Claus, this was not just encouraging but necessary:

On the prospect of a unified European standard for player protection and licensing, Claus offered a measured assessment. Regulation across Member States remains a patchwork, with licensing models, product rules, and taxation diverging from one jurisdiction to the next.

Furthermore, he traced the last 25 years across three broad phases:

• 2000 – 2011: Online gambling’s rapid expansion and the drive toward market integration.
• 2011 – 2014: EU harmonisation at its most active, producing the Commission’s Green Paper, Action Plan, and Recommendation.
• 2015 – 2026: Re-nationalisation, with targeted cooperation emerging around AML, consumer protection, and enforcement.

Claus went on to explain how Germany’s 2021 turnover-based tax model illustrated the problem neatly: without alignment on both regulation and taxation, a common standard is practically out of reach.

Pointing to a recent analysis suggesting that practical harmonisation may emerge through common technical standards, shared reporting frameworks, and coordinated enforcement rather than through a single EU gambling law, he expressed:

When asked why Munich will be the right place for the industry to set its agenda for 2026, Claus was clear:

Prof. Dr. Christian Piska, Faculty of Law, University of Vienna

In the context of the DACH region, Christian was asked how regulators can move away from regulatory rigidity and instead foster an innovation mandate that allows operators to compete on a global scale.

He argued that a fundamental reset in regulatory thinking is required, beginning with a clearer recognition of online gambling as a legal consumer market rather than an inherently high-risk activity:

Regulatory design across both jurisdictions is described as not having fully achieved its intended outcomes, pointing to the continued strength of the black market as evidence that overly restrictive frameworks are limiting the competitiveness of the regulated sector.

Christian explained:

Building on this, he called for a more structured and proportionate regulatory pathway:

When asked what the single biggest risk for an operator who fails to integrate agent-based AI into their core strategy today, Christian stated:

On the final question, Christian was asked why iGaming Germany and the Gaming Retail Summit are key platforms for bridging legal strategy, AI innovation, and operational realities:

These perspectives offer an early look at the wider conversations set to take place next week, with this year’s expanded format offering specialised content across both online and retail gaming environments.

Join Industry Leaders in Munich

iGaming Germany 2026 draws a cross-section of the industry that is difficult to replicate anywhere else, bringing together legal, operational, compliance, technology, media, and retail professionals all under one roof.

Get ready to meet senior professionals from:

• Amusnet Gaming Ltd
• ARENDTS ANWÄLTE
• Chevron Data & IT Compliance GmbH
• Chevron Group
• Diamond28 Consulting
• DIGICODE OPE
• EI Networking
• EI News
• Elite Executive
• EnBet Consulting
• Gambling Consulting Authority
• games & business
• Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)
• Gamomat Development GmbH
• Georgian Gambling Association
• German Gambling Market
• GG Poker
• Glücksfall – Centre for Player Protection
• Greentube GmbH
• Hambach & Hambach law firm PartG mbB
• Hambach & Hambach Rechtsanwälte
• HLB Schumacher Hallermann GmbH
• IGAMING MEDIA
• com
• impulsQ GmbH
• co
• MELCHERS Law Firm
• NascentEdge
• NovaMotus
• ODDSET Sportwetten GmbH
• OpenSlots
• OVWG, Austrian Betting and Gaming Association
• de AG
• Sächsische Spielbanken GmbH-Co KG
• Sky Deutschland
• Sonnet Group
• Sport1 GmbH
• de
• Starlet Group
• Taylor Wessing
• The Finnish Trade Association for Online Gambling
• Tipico
• Tipwin Ltd.
• University of Vienna
• io
• Witzel Erb Backu & Partner Rechtsanwälte
• Worldpay Germany GmbH

… AND MANY MORE!

Final Call to Register

With only one week to go, now is the final opportunity to secure your place at one of Germany’s leading gatherings for senior executives.

From regulatory reform and responsible gaming to operational strategy and retail innovation, iGaming Germany 2026 offers a focused platform for meaningful discussion, practical insight, and high-level networking.

Join us on 21 – 22 May 2026 at the NOVOTEL München Messe in Munich.

Secure your pass: https://www.eventus-international.com/igg

Sponsorship enquiries:

Lou-Mari Burnett, Chief Operating Officer
[email protected]

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