Wheelz has a new German licence

Great news for our players: Wheelz got a fresh German licence! Since the State Treaty on Gaming came into effect in 2021, German licences are finally being issued. This brings with it major benefits for you, the player. Firstly, your consumer rights are better protected under the new licensing terms and secondly, the activity of gambling that you enjoy is now officially beyond legal reproach and popular slot games from German-speaking providers such as Merkur and Novomatic are now available in our officially licensed catalogue of titles.

Wheelz’s new licence also brings with it the return of top slots such as Book of Ra, as well as the convenience of PayPal and credit cards as an available payment method.

The 2021 State Treaty on Gaming

In the summer of 2021, the sixteen federal states finally passed the new State Treaty on Gaming, ending Germany’s ban on iGaming. Licences are now being granted to gaming platforms that adhere to the treaty’s stringent guidelines.

The long wait has been due to the new German gaming authority only having fully established itself to where it was able to begin issuing licences in 2022. We believe that this wait will prove worthwhile for the assurances this licence will give to our players that Wheelz is a platform willing to meet the high standards this new German licence demands.

Online play is now safer

Player protection takes the highest priority under the terms of the new licence agreement, both in terms of responsible gaming measures and consumer rights.

A monthly deposit limit of €1,000 is permanently active to eliminate any risk of you gambling beyond your means in a moment of carelessness. There is also, of course, the option of decreasing that deposit limit further should you wish to, a setting that can easily be altered in your player account. There is also a panic button to immediately block your access to the site for 24 hours, as well as the option to self-impose longer periods of self-exclusion.

Should an iGaming site holding a German licence refuse to pay out winnings, you now have the option of suing them in a German court of law. Previously, such a lawsuit would not have been possible, due to the legislator regarding online gaming as an illegal activity. This position was confirmed in a court ruling as recently as February 2022. With Wheelz there is no need to worry, our German licence and high-speed payout system will ensure that you always receive your winnings promptly and in full.

PayPal is back as a payment option

Close to 30% of online shopping transactions in Germany are processed through PayPal, and approximately 30 million Germans have an account. Unfortunately, online gaming sites have been without PayPal for years, but thanks to the new German licences being issued, PayPal could finally be set to make a return to Wheelz along with a range of other payment options, such as VISA and Mastercard credit cards.

Book of Ra is back in Germany

One of the original “Books” slots from the mid-2000s, Book of Ra has been missing from the German market for years, along with other Novomatic and Greentube titles such as Dolphin’s Pearl, Sizzling Hot Deluxe and Lucky Lady’s Charm. With the new German licence, all these titles and more are set to finally return to Germany.

What happened to these slots

While game providers from outside Germany, such as the Swedish Play’n GO, could target the German market without repercussions, the same was not the case for their German counterparts.

Although Novomatic is actually based in Austria, through Löwen Entertainment GmbH and Spielbank Berlin GmbH, it is also represented in German, leading them to withdraw from the market out of caution. Merkur Gaming was also hampered by a similar situation, meaning that successful titles such as Knight’s Life and Eye of Horus remained beyond the reach of German players.

The new State Treaty of Gambling, at last, makes Germany safe ground for these gaming providers, so you can expect to see an influx of previously unavailable, home-grown titles coming into the German market at licensed gaming sites such as Wheelz.

All the games you love are still here

With the new licence, Wheelz’s game library is staying intact, meaning that all your favourites are still here for you to play. You can check out how other popular “Book” slots like Book of Dead compare to Book of Ra. There will also be regular tournaments, so you can see how you stack up against other players.

Wheelz exclusive features are here to stay

Wheel of Spins isn’t going anywhere. The exclusive mini-slot gives you free spins to use on your favourite games, adapted to the desires of every type of player. With Extra Wheel you can also win some fantastic Wheelz merchandise or free bonuses like Cashback, extra Level-ups or Free Spins. Keep Spinning at Wheelz!