The financial service provider PayPal has forgiven one player € 95,000 debt spent in an online casino!
Initially, the company had insisted on the payment, but after the customer had turned to a lawyer, he was able to move PayPal to a waiver.
This case is not the only one where PayPal has not reached its interests.

The online casinos, despite their lack of regulation in Germany, have great success. There are around 4,000 online casinos worldwide, and more than 500 are available in German. Due to the lack of regulation, financial service providers have repeatedly waived the claims of online casinos against German players. Such messages rarely appear in the big news because nobody wants that the daily operations will be affected and refined persons might make use of these circumstances.
Where is PayPal accepted?
So which online casino sites accept PayPal? Here we have the list of the top gambling sites where you can use PayPal:
| # | Name | Bonus | PayPal | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Party Casino New players get a 100% BONUS up to €$200 + 80 Free Spins Welcome Bonus + 2 times 100% up to $€150 + 20 FS |
|
Claim Bonus Visit Party Casino |
|
![]() |
888 Casino 30 FREE Spins no deposit + 200% Bonus on your 1st deposit |
|
Claim Bonus Visit 888 Casino |
PayPal is one of the most well-known financial service providers online and has revolutionised online payment many years ago. In addition to other payment options such as bank transfer or credit cards, PayPal is also one of the most popular payment methods for online casinos. Above all, the ready availability of payments is well received by customers, which is why many are looking for online casino PayPal providers.
Gambling Legislation in Germany
How is it that the player did not have to pay his debt of almost 95,000€?
The player had deposited the sum through PayPal, but could not win and lost all the money. He ignored the payment requests and hired a lawyer.
The lawyer referred to existing German law that online casinos are illegal gambling. Because except sports betting and lotteries, organising and distributing public betting in Germany is also prohibited on the internet.
Gambling on the Internet entails special risks, primarily due to:
- the lack of protection of minors,
- the constant availability and
- the convenience.
However, even some politicians see that the gambling without the regulation of online casinos misses the goal of fighting the black market for online gambling. Nonetheless, the lawyer of our “bad-luck” casino player has referred to the point of the illegality of online gambling in Germany. Since illegal gambling does not justify any effective debt obligations, the provider of the online casino also has no claims against the player.
Also, the processing of payments for illegal gambling is prohibited, which implies that even PayPal has no claims against the player. Nevertheless, such an approach is not the rule. Also if the offers of the online casinos in Germany are illegal, online casinos and the players are not prosecuted by the state.
Nevertheless, the case described here is an isolated case, even though a similar situation already happened in 2015. At that time, a woman had deposited lucky amount of 7777.77€ in Tipico and Bwin via PayPal. The providers of sports betting were also not regulated at that time, and so the lawyers were able to convince PayPal also in that case to cancel the debt.
No PayPal Buyer Protection anymore for Gambling
Should you plan to cheat PayPal or online casinos with the same method, we want to beware you – most likely it won't work. The chances of success are minimal. Besides, PayPal has also stopped the buyer protection, at least for payments to gambling and bookmakers.
This decision protects PayPal against an increase in disputes for transactions in this area. Because in gambling there is no exchange of goods against money, with which a smooth procedure after the receipt of the goods is usually completed. Thus, transactions with gambling providers also cause uncertainty for PayPal itself.
Even if the case mentioned above does not happen again, to prevent gambling transactions from becoming a game of chance for PayPal, the financial services provider decided to take this step. The good news is that the payments to online casinos can still be handled with PayPal.
This page was updated on April 19, 2026 1:14 pm.
Eleonor
Author
Eleonor Lau is a Hong Kong-based casino compliance and game-strategy analyst with over a decade of experience in the online gambling industry. Holding the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) credential and the ICA Specialist Certificate in Money Laundering Risk in Betting and Gaming, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role at PPCasinos.com. Eleonor's expertise lies in evaluating online casinos for regulatory compliance, secure payment processing, and responsible gambling practices. Her insights help players identify trustworthy PayPal casinos that offer swift withdrawals and transparent bonus terms.
A writer and reviewer who has been analyzing online casinos since 2012. I enjoy exploring slots and roulette, but my true passion is sharing insights on casino compliance and player safety.
All promotional offers and bonus deals listed on PPCasinos.com are subject to specific terms, conditions, and wagering requirements set by the respective providers. Typically, bonuses are available to new customers only. Please gamble responsibly, as gambling can be addictive. Use of online casino offers is permitted only for individuals aged 21 and over.



