LUGAS limit: view and change the deposit limit

The LUGAS limit is a monthly deposit limit that applies across providers, meaning it covers all connected German online providers together. Under § 6c(1) of the German Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021, as of 06.10.2026), every player has to set such a limit when opening an account, and it may not, as a rule, exceed €1,000 per month. Without a limit in place, playing is not possible. The key point for anyone waiting for a payout: the LUGAS limit caps deposits, not withdrawals.

If what holds you back is not the limit but a player block via OASIS, our overview of payout rules in Germany explains how to lift an OASIS self-exclusion.

Everything below is based on the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (gesetze-bayern.de) and the FAQ pages of the Joint Gambling Authority of the German States (GGL), retrieved on 06.10.2026; not legal advice.

What is LUGAS?

LUGAS is the cross-state gambling supervision system used in Germany. According to the GGL FAQ (as of 06.10.2026), it consists of two parts: a limit file (Limitdatei), which holds the cross-provider deposit limit, and an activity file (Aktivitätsdatei), through which a player is switched to active status with one provider. According to the GGL, the data is stored in pseudonymised form.

The LUGAS obligation under § 6c GlüStV 2021 is part of the German licence: only an online casino with a German licence is connected, while providers without a permit from a German authority are not linked to LUGAS.

The activity file implements § 6h GlüStV 2021: playing with several providers at the same time is not permitted. Anyone who switches to another provider is only activated there after a waiting period of five minutes.

LUGAS caps deposits, not withdrawals

§ 6c GlüStV 2021 sets out a deposit limit; the provision contains no ceiling on withdrawals. Withdrawals are governed by other rules: under § 6b(2) GlüStV 2021, a withdrawal has to be deducted from the player account without delay once the player requests it, but the rule does not fix the overall time a casino payout takes to reach your account.

Under § 6a(4) GlüStV 2021, withdrawals are only permitted after confirmation of your personal details.

A used-up LUGAS limit only means that no further deposit is possible this month. It is no reason to hold back winnings: the reasons behind a withheld payout after a win lie elsewhere, for example in outstanding documents or bonus terms. If a provider caps withdrawals, that is a withdrawal limit from its own terms, not LUGAS. Because LUGAS only caps deposits, we explain the casino withdrawal limit and how providers set it in their terms on a separate page.

How to view your LUGAS limit

Where you can view your LUGAS limit follows from § 6d GlüStV 2021: players must be able to see their balance, game history, deposits and withdrawals and their limits for the last twelve months at any time with the provider. The first place to look is therefore the account overview or the limits and responsible gambling section of the provider's account.

The same provision requires that, each time you sign in, the total stakes, winnings and losses of the previous 30 days are shown and confirmed. One provider's account overview only shows your deposits there, however; deposits with other providers also count towards the shared limit.

• Account overview with the provider: limit, deposits and withdrawals for the last twelve months (§ 6d).
• 30-day summary after each sign-in: stakes, winnings, losses.
• Add deposits made with other providers in the same month.

How to raise your LUGAS limit

Under § 6c GlüStV 2021, an increase of the deposit limit only takes effect after a protection period of seven days. If you raise the limit today, you can use the higher amount at the earliest once those seven days have passed.

For amounts above the basic €1,000, the GGL lists further requirements in its FAQ on deposit limits and maximum stakes (as of 06.10.2026):

• Up to €10,000 per month: only with inconspicuous playing behaviour and documented financial capacity. The GGL states: „Selbstauskünfte von Spielenden sind nicht ausreichend“ (players' own declarations are not sufficient). Simply stating your income is therefore not enough.
• Above €10,000 up to €30,000 per month: according to the GGL, only for at most 1 % of active players per provider.

The sources do not specify which documents a provider must request. Ask the provider which evidence it accepts for an increase.

How to change or lower your LUGAS limit

Under § 6c GlüStV 2021, the seven-day protection period only applies to increases; a reduction of the limit takes effect without that waiting time.

On top of the shared LUGAS limit, providers must allow their own daily, weekly or monthly stake, deposit and loss limits under § 6c(2) GlüStV 2021. They only apply with the provider concerned; once they are used up, no further play is allowed. For a break, § 6i(3) GlüStV 2021 requires a clearly labelled button wherever play is possible that triggers a 24-hour short-term block. A longer block runs through the OASIS self-exclusion system (§ 8 GlüStV 2021), which is operated by the State of Hesse and is separate from the LUGAS limit.

When does the LUGAS limit reset?

The LUGAS limit is a calendar-month limit. According to the GGL FAQ on LUGAS (as of 06.10.2026), it resets „jeweils am Monatsersten“, on the first day of each month. A limit used up on the 25th of a month is therefore fully available again on the 1st of the next month, not 30 days after the first deposit.

According to the same FAQ, failed payments also count towards the limit. A deposit that was cancelled or declined may still have reduced the remaining amount.

LUGAS limit looks wrong – what to check

If the remaining amount shown does not match your own calculation, check in this order:

1. Other providers: the limit is cross-provider. Deposits with a second provider in the same calendar month count too.
2. Failed payments: according to the GGL, failed payments are counted as well.
3. Change of month: the reset happens on the first of the month, not after 30 days.
4. Increase not yet active: an increase only takes effect after the seven-day protection period.
5. Provider limit instead of LUGAS: a daily, weekly or monthly limit you set with the provider (§ 6c(2)) can be lower than the LUGAS limit and applies first.

Then compare the deposits and withdrawals in the account overview, which under § 6d GlüStV 2021 must go back twelve months, with your bank statements. If a difference remains, contact the provider's customer service in writing and keep the reply. In a specific dispute, for example if deposits appear to be assigned incorrectly, a consumer advice centre or a lawyer is the right place to turn.

Deposit limit, maximum stake and self-exclusion: the differences

Several other rules are often confused with the LUGAS limit:

• Maximum stake per spin: a separate rule for virtual slot games. § 22a(7) GlüStV 2021: €1 per game; since 01.07.2026, according to the GGL, temporarily tiered at €3/€5 until 31.12.2027 (retrieved 06.10.2026), i.e. under conditions up to €3 from the age of 21 and up to €5 after 90 days of inconspicuous playing behaviour. It has nothing to do with the monthly deposit limit.
• Hourly reminder: under § 6h(7) GlüStV 2021, a reminder about playing time has to be confirmed every 60 minutes.
• OASIS self-exclusion: under § 8a GlüStV 2021, a self-exclusion lasts at least three months and rules out play entirely; it is a block, not a limit.
• Provider withdrawal limit: a rule from the individual casino's terms, not a LUGAS requirement.