PokerStars Ordered to Refund €58,000 to German Player by Court

In a significant ruling, a German court has ordered PokerStars to refund a player’s €58,000 losses. The decision comes after the court found that PokerStars did not adequately inform gamblers and poker players that the site was not licensed to operate in Germany.

The player in question lost a net total of €58,517.70 between 2014 and 2020, playing poker and blackjack on PokerStars.eu. The site, now owned by Flutter Entertainment, did not have a licence to operate in Germany at the time.

The Higher Regional Court in Cologne ruled that PokerStars must refund the player’s losses, stating that the German-language website and the German-language customer service conveyed the appearance of legality. The court noted that the player was able to easily register from his residence and set up a player account, which contributed to the legitimacy factor. Dr. Patrick Redell, a compensation-law specialist, shared news of the court decision, claiming, “plaintiff was entitled to both a claim for repayment under enrichment law and a tortious claim for damages against the sued online casino.”