IP Blocking: Another Court Declares GGL Blocking Orders Unlawful

February 22, 2023 | Government

In a decision dated February 3, 2023, the Düsseldorf Administrative Court (VG) has now also declared the orders issued by the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) to telecommunications service providers to block illegal gambling websites to be unlawful.

The decision coincides with the ruling of the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) of Rhineland-Palatinate made just a few days earlier and thus represents a further setback for the enforcement department of the GGL.

According to the decisions, access providers are not service providers responsible under the German Telemedia Act against whom measures to block unauthorized gambling portals can be taken.

After now already two decisions of this kind, the GGL can no longer rely on the enforcement measure IP blocking. It is now all the more urgent for the authority to resort to alternative measures to combat the black market and strengthen the legal providers – for example, by swiftly expanding the betting program and moving away from manual verification of individual games.

SOURCE: Deutscher Sportwettenverband