Regardless of whether it is a high roller routine or the occasional thrill for the purpose of entertainment: high stakes in online casinos are the excitement turbo par excellence. But not all casinos allow larger stakes. We explain where high stakes are possible in the online casino and what players have to pay attention to.
The 10 best online casinos for high stakes
High stakes in online casino and regulation
Many casinos have limits on what you can bet. There are various reasons for the limits. On the one hand, the operator's risk management plays a role. On the other hand, however, there are regulatory requirements. The regulators require casinos to only accept stakes up to a certain amount. This is currently particularly relevant in Germany.
German online casinos allow a maximum of 1 EUR per round
In Germany, the new State Treaty on Gaming came into force on July 1, 2021. This provides for a newly established licensing of online casinos. The legislature has placed strict requirements in the baggage of liberalization. This includes a limit on wagers. Players at casinos licensed in Germany may wager a maximum of EUR 1 per game round. Nevertheless, there are still legal online casinos without a € 1 limit with an EU license.
This means that the options for gamers are significantly limited compared to the bandwidths offered by game manufacturers. Most slot machine manufacturers, for example, allow stakes of around EUR 0.1-100 per spin on their slots. In Germany, only stakes of 0.1 to 1 EUR are activated. High stakes in the online casino are not possible – at least with regard to a single game round.
The legislator in Germany has come up with further measures that can dampen the entertainment factor in the online casino. This includes, for example, the 5-second rule. A single game round must last at least 5 seconds on average – the flow of the game is slowed down significantly depending on the slot. But even here there are some providers where you can play safely and seriously without the 5 second rule .
Another restriction is the deposit limit applicable in Germany. Players are allowed to deposit a maximum of EUR 1000 per month – across providers based on all online casinos licensed in Germany. The deposit limit is monitored by a newly created authority in Halle an der Saale.
Caution tax: 5.3% on assignments in Germany
Despite the restrictions, the tax authorities are hoping for high stakes in the online casino – after all, these are taxed. At the end of June 2021, the Bundestag passed an amendment to the Racing Betting and Lottery Act. The main point: A tax of 5.3% is due on stakes in virtual slots and virtual poker. For example, if you make 100 spins on a day with a stake of 1 EUR each, you pay EUR 0.053 per spin or EUR 5.30 for 100 spins in total. High stakes in the online casino therefore also mean high taxes.
The tax authorities are criticized for the amount and structure of the tax. There may still be some changes in taxation in the coming years. First of all, however, if you shoot in Germany, you pay at least a second house edge to the state.
Why are high stakes popular in online casinos?
Why are online casino high stakes so popular with players? There are several reasons for that. On the one hand, the tension and entertainment factor increases when it comes to more money. If you only bet 1 EUR in roulette, for example, you can win a maximum of 35 EUR even with a bet on a single number. These sums have no effect and therefore do not generate any voltage. With a stake of 100 EUR, however, a profit of 3500 EUR is possible – enough for a vacation. In short: if you want to win a lot, you usually have to put in a little more.
Low volatility requires higher stakes
This is especially true for low volatility games. In these games, the maximum winnings are not too high. In return, there are always smaller wins with profit multipliers of, for example, 10-20x. Little can be gained here with small stakes. Players need larger spin values in slots and other games with low variance in order to be able to clear away big.
Higher stakes can also be beneficial on some progressive jackpots. It is known here that playing with the maximum possible bet increases the probability of triggering the jackpot a little.
High stakes in online casinos are also increasingly relevant for slot machines with a bonus buy function. Players trigger the bonus round automatically with a certain multiple of the stake. This function is often de facto not available in the case of tightly limited betting limits or can only be triggered with a very low basic bet.
Bonus conditions are met faster with high stakes
High stakes in the online casino are also advantageous if a bonus condition has to be met. At a large number of online casinos, new customers receive a deposit bonus. An example: A new customer pays in EUR 100 and receives an additional EUR 100 as a bonus credit. The bonus credit is subject to a 30-fold wagering requirement (this amount is customary in the market). The player has to wager 100 × 30 = 3000 EUR.
Typically, the casino sets a maximum stake of 5 EUR per game round. Then 600 game rounds of 5 EUR each are necessary to meet the wagering requirement. However, if the stake is limited to a EUR 1 game round, 3000 game rounds are necessary. This lengthens the fulfillment of the wagering requirement – it is even possible that the time frame allowed for this is exceeded. In general: the looser the bet limit, the faster a wagering requirement can be met in connection with a bonus.
International online casinos allow high stakes
While high stakes in online casinos are not possible in Germany for regulatory reasons, the international market offers alternatives.
Even before the new German gaming contract came into force, numerous casinos from abroad were active in this country. The operators are often licensed in other EU member states such as Malta or in European overseas territories such as Curacao.
Like German approvals, the licenses guarantee fair gaming operations and the financial stability of the operators. Switching to these casinos is therefore not associated with greater risks for players.
What stakes do international casinos accept?
At international casinos there are no or much more generous betting limits. This means that players can place high stakes in the online casino and also take corresponding winnings. It is quite possible to place up to 1000 EUR per game round at the roulette table in a live casino. It is similar with other classics like blackjack. With slot machines, the stakes that the manufacturers provide are usually possible – 100 EUR per spin and more.
A tip: high rollers should take a look at the withdrawal limits of casinos. This applies in Germany as well as in other countries. Very low withdrawal limits of, for example, 2000 EUR per month also indirectly define a deposit limit. After all, a higher stake with the necessary luck also leads to correspondingly high profits – which can only be paid out very slowly with a restrictive payout limit.
Casinos with a foreign license offer other advantages
In addition to high stakes in the online casino, internationally licensed providers offer further advantages. The reason: The German regulation does not apply to these operators. Instead, the casinos are exclusively obliged to comply with the laws and regulations of their licensing countries.
In addition to the German betting limit of EUR 1 per spin, the 5-second rule is no longer applicable. The monthly deposit limit of EUR 1000 does not apply abroad either. Deposits at foreign casinos are also not counted towards the German deposit limit.
Last but not least, the German employment tax does not apply to foreign casinos. These casinos are also subject to tax – but again only in their licensing countries. These typically tax gross gaming sales of the casinos instead of the stakes on games.
In practice there is another great advantage of international providers. Due to the change in taxation, these casinos can also offer games with attractive payout percentages. This is only possible to a limited extent at casinos with a German license, which is why the range of games in this country is smaller.
There are also live dealer games in international casinos. These have not yet been conclusively regulated by German regulation. In the future, German operators may be able to offer such games with licenses from the federal states. Until then, however, players for banker games such as roulette and blackjack will have to switch to providers abroad.
Individual limits instead of regulations for player protection
Legislators justify betting limits and the like with player protection. Accordingly, foreign providers are sometimes criticized for the fact that the limits do not apply there.
However, player protection also applies abroad. There, players can set up individual limits. If you only want to make high stakes in the online casino every now and then and otherwise want to be on the go with little money, you can set up deposit limits. Wagering limits, net loss limits and session time limits are also possible without any problems. The limits apply optionally for days, weeks or months and can only be lifted after a waiting period has expired or after a regular expiry. Setting up the limits, on the other hand, is possible without any waiting time.
Conclusion
If you want to place high stakes in the online casino, you currently have to switch to foreign providers. The reason for this is the German gambling regulation, which limits stakes to EUR 1 per game round. However, the providers based in Malta, Curacao and Co. are also seriously licensed and guarantee fair and safe gaming. The foreign regulation results in further practical advantages for players such as the elimination of the employment tax, the 5-second rule and the monthly deposit limit. The range of games is also larger abroad and also includes the popular live dealer department.
In addition to the entertainment factor, there are a lot of good reasons for high stakes in online casinos. These include the bonus buy function with more and more slots, improved chances with progressive jackpots and more excitement with games with low variance.
