A German-language weekly roundup covered a European Court of Justice ruling on recovering losses from online gambling prohibited in Germany, alongside poker news, digitalisation and the black market. It also reported that ZEAL had launched a social lottery and that a Spiel 77 player won more than €5.5 million.
The reported ruling may affect operators facing claims over losses from prohibited online gambling in Germany.
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The Landgericht Mönchengladbach ordered PokerStars to repay approximately €39,500 to a German player. PokerStars argued that it should not bear responsibility for all losses because players compete against one another and it receives only rake, but the court rejected that argument.
The Landgericht Mönchengladbach ruled on 17 September 2026 that PokerStars must repay a German player approximately €39,500 in poker losses, plus interest. The case was brought against TSG Interactive Gaming Europe Ltd., the company behind PokerStars and part of Flutter, according to a publication by the law firm CLLB Rechtsanwälte, which represented the player.
A Dutch court upheld the Kansspelautoriteit’s ruling that online games offered by Nationale Postcode Loterij and VriendenLoterij in 2023 formed part of a single remote gambling game with an extra weekly draw. The court found the lotteries lacked the required licence and that the KSA was entitled to enforce; both lotteries’ appeals were dismissed.
Paraná’s state audit court (TCE-PR) advised municipalities not to create or operate lotteries until Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) rules on municipal authority, according to a media report. The guidance followed a query from Cornélio Procópio; the STF’s final hearing date had not been set.
GGPoker and Grosvenor Casinos agreed a sponsorship covering more than 50 live tournaments at over 35 UK venues. GGPoker said eligible players qualifying or buying in through its platform can receive cash boosts, including 20% at Goliath, G200 and G300 events and 10% at UK Open events.
GGPoker said it would not launch peer-to-peer poker in Alberta while the province’s rules restrict play to local users. 888 Poker began regulated operations last month, and PokerStars relaunched on FanDuel on 2 November; the report said Alberta and Ontario were expected to announce shared liquidity, while Canada’s Supreme Court considers international player pooling.
GGPoker has abandoned plans to offer peer-to-peer poker in Alberta. It will not launch there unless international liquidity is available, according to the report.