Mega Moolah jackpot hit

[IndexP]

Gambling winnings are tax free but only one year, then you have to pay on it. Unless the laws have changed in Germany.

Bold part = nonsense.
Strange that this fairy tale has persisted for more than 15 years.

Correct is:
(Legal) gambling winnings are tax-free in Germany.

[IndexP]

Other rules apply to such jackpot sums, which are then also discussed and negotiated individually.

For that you need actually no individual negotiations.
In most (possibly all?) Microgaming casinos - including the Rewards Group - the following passage can be found in the terms and conditions:

Players who win an amount greater than 5 times their total deposits at all Casino Rewards partner casinos are only able to withdraw winnings of up to €4000 per week. All progressive wins/payouts are exempt from this provision.

But I know from an equally reliable source that Rewards Casinos "try" paying the customer in installments for medium progressive wins first.
I might accept that with a smile on a medium progressive win (for the sake of peace and chemistry) - with an 18M jackpot I'd give them a big pat on the back.

[playtime spielo]

Bold part = nonsense.
Strange that this fairy tale has persisted for more than 15 years.

It used to be like that, when I was still actively working in casinos, we had to point this out to big winners. But it's nice if it's not like that in Germany today!

[IndexP]

It used to be like that, back when I was still actively working in casinos, we had to point this out to big winners. But it's nice if it's not like that in Germany today!

No, that has NEVER been the case.

I suspect two things have been and are being lumped together here that have absolutely NOTHING to do with each other:

1. (Legal) gambling winnings are tax free. Point. End.

vs.

2a. If the big profit has landed on your interest-bearing call money account/fixed-term deposit account/investment in a share portfolio, etc., the resulting interest, dividends, earnings are of course subject to withholding tax (formerly: interest tax, capital gains tax, speculation tax, etc.).
and
2 B. Until 1995 there was a wealth tax in Germany (about 1%) - for net assets above 120.000 DM. At that time not only the income (see 2a), but also the substance was taxed.

2a and 2b have absolutely nothing to do with the tax exemption of gambling winnings.
Pointing out to a big winner in 1990 when the tax-free winnings are paid out that his assets will be subject to wealth tax from then on - that is about as sensible/pointless as pointing out to an entrepreneur that his (taxpayer). ! or taxed!) Company profits are subject to wealth tax in the next year.

[playtime spielo]

I agree with you, I should have formulated it more precisely. All interest from gambling winnings becomes taxable after one year. And you won't believe what we used to have to do in casinos. It's been a long time!