Rank #33 · Open banking / instant bank
GiroPay
German bank-authorisation rail. Strong domestic coverage; being wound down by Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft from late 2024.
- Deposit speed
- Instant on confirmation
- Withdrawal speed
- Not natively supported
- Deposit clearance
- Bank-authentication leg, instant credit on confirmation
- Withdrawal clearance
- Withdrawals typically route via SEPA
- Fees
- Operator-absorbed merchant fee; free for player
- KYC drag
- Low (often no KYC at deposit)
- Geography
- Germany only
GiroPay is a German bank-authorisation rail operated by Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft (the umbrella organisation of German banking associations)1 . For decades it was a primary online-payment option for German consumers at non-card merchants. At time of writing, GiroPay is in active wind-down: Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft announced in 2023 that the service would close progressively starting late 2024, with merchants migrating to direct SEPA Instant or other open-banking rails2 .
How GiroPay worked
The flow was structurally similar to Sofort and iDEAL:
- Select GiroPay at the casino cashier
- Choose your German bank from the list
- Authenticate via your bank’s online banking (TAN code or app authentication)
- Confirm the payment
- Funds credit at the casino instantly
Total elapsed time: 30-60 seconds typical, dominated by the bank-authentication step.
The wind-down: what to use instead
Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft’s wind-down decision was driven by overlap with newer open-banking rails (PSD2-compliant pay-by-bank) and lower-friction alternatives like Trustly. Operators that historically offered GiroPay are migrating to:
- Sofort / Klarna: The closest functional substitute for DACH players
- Trustly: Broader European open-banking coverage
- Direct SEPA Instant: Where the operator’s payment processor supports it natively
- PayPal: Where the operator is licensed in a regulated jurisdiction (rarely the case for our offshore coverage)
For German casino players at offshore operators, Sofort and Trustly are the practical replacements.
Casinos in our coverage accepting GiroPay
Some European-oriented Anjouan operators still publish GiroPay as a payment option at time of writing. As the wind-down progresses, these listings will disappear. InterCasino and Olimp are the most likely to have legacy GiroPay support. Verify on the live cashier, if GiroPay is listed, it may still work; if not, route via Sofort.
Frequently asked questions
Is GiroPay still working at casinos?
Partially, at time of writing. Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft announced the wind-down in 2023 with progressive shutdown from late 2024. Some operator-side integrations still process GiroPay payments; others have already migrated to alternatives.
What should I use instead of GiroPay?
Sofort (Klarna) is the closest functional substitute for German players. Trustly offers broader European open-banking coverage. SEPA Instant is the underlying bank-rail alternative if your bank supports it.
Can I withdraw via GiroPay?
No, GiroPay was push-payment-only at deposit. Withdrawals at GiroPay-accepting casinos route via SEPA bank transfer.
Why is GiroPay being shut down?
Overlap with PSD2-compliant open-banking rails (Trustly, direct bank flows) and the broader transition to SEPA Instant infrastructure. The competitive landscape changed faster than GiroPay could iterate.
What to read next
- Sofort for the German-speaking alternative.
- Trustly for the broader European open-banking rail.
- SEPA for the underlying bank-rail layer.
GiroPay accepted at (operator coverage)
References
- GiroPay product overview , Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft
- GiroPay shutdown announcement , Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft