【stake 6 in first 4 overs】-Tipico to stop marketing suppliers working with black

The “Trusted Partner” programme targets the growing issue of black-market gambling offerings, which bypass regulatory requirements, fail to provide player protection, and evade taxes owed to the German government.

Manufacturers certified under the initiative agree to provide their games exclusively to licensed operators and promote responsible gaming.

In return, Tipico will engage in marketing efforts — spanning TV presence, digital platforms, and CRM campaigns — only with companies certified through the initiative.

Not cutting ties completely

However, a Tipico spokesperson clarified to NEXT.iothat the company would not halt collaborations with suppliers who do not meet the “Trusted Partner” criteria at this stage.

“For the moment, this only refers to marketing and visibility. However, given our extensive marketing activities, this is an extremely relevant asset,” the spokesperson explained.

Several prominent game manufacturers have already been certified under Tipico’s new initiative. These include Apparat, Games Global, Greentube, Hölle Games, MERKUR, Play’n GO, SYNOT, and ZEAL.

“We are very pleased that several major games manufacturers have fulfilled the requirements as ‘Trusted Partner’ at the start of our quality initiative already,”Tipico director of iGaming Christian Heins said.

“Combatting illegal offerings is essential for the successful channelisation into the legal and safe market, and we are convinced that this goal can only be achieved in the long term through a joint effort by all stakeholders.”

Tipico’s vision includes expanding the initiative to include payment service providers and media partners in the future.

Ongoing black market concerns

The rise of illegal gambling platforms continues to be a major concern in Germany.

Last year, the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) called on authorities to reassess the country’s regulatory approach, as the market’s current framework has yet to meet its channelisation goals.

In a post on LinkedIn earlier this week, Heins discussed ongoing trends towards the unregulated market in the German online casino sector.

“Based on our long-term monitoring, we know that players tend to spend more time on black market platforms than on the legal ones,” Heins wrote, adding that this analysis focuses exclusively on the online casino market in Germany.

He stated that the estimated player value in the illegal market is up to 2.5 times higher than that of the regulated sector.

Heins also highlighted the scale of tax avoidance within the black market, estimating its worth at a minimum of €1.1bn, with potential inflated gross gaming revenue (GGR) figures due to higher bonus costs on unregulated platforms.

He suggested that the legal online casino market in Germany currently has a channelisation rate of only 20-30%.

However, looking ahead to 2029, Heins predicted that the black market would shrink significantly, benefiting from reforms in taxation and product restrictions.

“The environment for unregulated businesses will continue to deteriorate, especially given the scale of tax evasion involved. With the German government now opting for record-level debt issuance, these funds could potentially assist in financing the necessary changes,” he wrote.

He envisions a shift in the current market ratio from 25:75 in favour of illegal platforms to a more balanced 60:40 in favour of legal operators, provided bold actions are taken after the 2027 evaluation of the State Treaty on Gambling.