Poker Rooms Face New Tax Laws in Germany and Exciting Tournaments Ahead

Germany's new poker regulations, effective from July 1, 2021, require poker rooms to pay a 5.3% tax on each buy-in from German players. This drastic change has led to significant adjustments in how poker rooms operate in the country.

PokerStars, one of the major players in the online poker scene, has announced several changes to comply with the new tax laws. Cash games will be limited to $1/$2 for hold'em and omaha, and $2/$2 for 6+. The rake will increase by approximately 25%. However, PokerStars will compensate for the new taxes from the overall rake, ensuring that players from other countries are not affected. The maximum limit for Sit & Go (SnG) games will be $50, and certain game formats like heads-up SnG, part of hyper-turbos, and most satellites will be removed from the lobby.

Unibet, another prominent poker room, has decided to remove cash games and SNGs for German players, leaving only Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs) and local spins. The loyalty program will be disabled, and while the rake is not increasing for now, Unibet has hinted at possible future changes.