Tipico allows customers to deposit in supermarkets

Tipico has launched a new payment method called Tipico Direct that lets customers deposit and withdraw in supermarkets and retails stores.

The mobile payment method is supported by Barzahlen, Germany’s largest private payment infrastructure, and will be accepted in 8,000 locations across Germany.

Customers using the system, put in the desired amount they want to deposit, which generates a barcode which can then be scanned by the retailer, with the balance automatically being put into the account.

To simplify the search for a participating store, an area map has been integrated in the Tipico app.

Tipico said it was the only online bookmaker in Germany to support this kind of deposit and withdrawal system, with the process also compliant with the Money Laundering Act and data protection laws.

German online gambling payments are still something of a grey area, with state lotteries calling for payment blocking on unlicensed operators.

A German court also ruled recently that online gaming debts were unenforceable because the underlying activity was illegal under German law, further muddying the waters for payment processors and banks.