It is a longterm money saving system/plan.
They get rid of all platinum (GG Platinum not CC) players after 11 months.
In January 2027 all players start as fish regardless which level they had before.
They also tried to rip off German players way more than they were ripped off before.
Germans pay higher Rake due to regulation circumstances (License fee costs and taxes GG has to pay to operate in Germany).
Thes costs are given back to German customers in many ways.
| Cash games | Germany | International |
| Rake | +1% higher due to Luckgambling taxes | their standard Rake |
Tournaments | Germany | International |
| Tax | 3 % on all real money wins (tax works above $0.25) | no tax |
| Bounties | same as above | no tax |
| Rakeback | Germany | International |
| Rake used for TP | only 70% rake is used for TP | 100% rake used for TP |
| Gems Received per Rake paid | only 70 % rake is used for GEMS. | 100% rake used TP |
International GEM rates:
German Gem rates at start:
They changed it later to international exchange rate.
So first they tried to double tax German players only 70% rake used for GEMS and Tide Points calculation and additional only 70% of rewarded TP and Gems.
The hidden tax behind the system is the PVI (player value index) calculation, this applies to all players on GG.
The formula is kept secret but with the old system you could directly make an estimation calcuation.
All
real money players have a PVI value.
PVI = Player Value Index
It determines how much of your paid rake actually counts toward rewards.
• Recreational players(high VPIP, passive play) → PVI close to 1.0
• Strong grinders(TAG, LAG, Winning Player) → PVI often 0.35–0.75 (sometimes down to 0.1)
Rake used for TP calculation = Rake paid x PVI is for International players
Rake used for TP calculation = Rake paid x PVI x 0.70 is for German players
The next trap for German players the don´t get real money cashback, they get C$ or T$.
A German grinder who “should” get 40–60% rakeback internationally often ends up with:
• 10–20% real effective rakeback
• plus non‑withdrawable C$ / T$ that must be played through
• plus higher rake
• plus 3% MTT tax
This is why many German players feel the system is nearly unbeatable compared to the international environment.
Additionally if you are winning player you have to pay income tax on winnings.
Thanks to German regulations
online poker for real money should be dead in Germany.
I wonder if the online
gambling providers will renew their licenses after 5 years, because German player base is shrinking very massively on all sites that have licensed in Germany.
Is the German Player Base Shrinking?
Yes. All available indicators show that the German player base on licensed
poker sites is declining.
1. Traffic Data
Independent trackers show:
• 35–50% fewer German players since the 2021 GlüStV
• Declines visible on: GGPoker.de, PokerStars.de, PartyPoker/bwin DE, 888poker DE
2. Smaller Tournament Fields
Licensed sites report:
• 30–45% smaller daily MTT fields
• Reduced guarantees
• Lower peak‑time activity
3. Industry & Regulatory Reports
German gambling reports show:
• Falling online‑poker revenue
• Operators noting reduced activity
• Some licensed operators scaling down their German offerings
4. Clear Causes
• 5.3% gambling tax → higher rake
• 3% tax on all MTT winnings
• Only 70% of rake counts toward rewards
• Lower Gem rewards (–30%)
• PVI reductions
• Extra rakeback paid in C$ / T$, not cash
• Strict licensing & geoblocking
5. Indirect Evidence
• Fewer active cash‑game tables
• Weak mid/high‑stakes traffic
• Community surveys: 70–80% of German grinders reduced volume or left licensed sites
