Christian Hochgrebe
Chairman of the Board (Rotating Chair) – Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL)
Christian Hochgrebe is a German public official who became Chairman of the Board (rotating chair) of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) – the Joint Gambling Authority of the German Federal States – on 1 July 2026. He succeeded Sandro Kirchner and holds the position for a 12-month term. His appointment comes at a critical juncture as Germany prepares for the first statutory review of the State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021), with priorities including enforcement against illegal gambling and oversight of licensed operators.
Before his gambling regulator role, Hochgrebe served as State Secretary for the Interior of the State of Berlin (Staatssekretär für Inneres des Landes Berlin) in the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport. In that capacity, he was a member of the SPD (Social Democratic Party) and oversaw internal security, fire services, and police affairs. His transition from interior administration to gambling regulation reflects Germany’s practice of rotating senior state officials into the GGL’s leadership.
Hochgrebe was elected chairman by the GGL board and assumed the rotating chairmanship on 1 July 2026. His tenure begins as the regulatory landscape evolves, balancing the interests of licensed operators, consumer protection, and the fight against unlicensed gambling. He brings extensive experience in public administration and security policy to the position.