Giropay was discontinued at the end of 2024 as German banks moved to consolidate their fragmented digital payment systems. For years, Giropay operated alongside services like paydirekt and the Austrian eps, which created overlaps and limited reach outside their home markets. To streamline payments and compete with global providers such as PayPal and card networks, European banks launched the European Payments Initiative. Its new product, Wero, was designed as a single wallet for instant transfers, online shopping, and gambling transactions across multiple EU countries.
The shift to Wero was not a rejection of Giropay’s model but an expansion of it, taking the speed and bank-level security that players trusted and applying it to a broader, pan-European system.
Giropay distinguished itself by combining the security of direct bank transfers with the speed of modern payment gateways. It required no separate registration, kept sensitive data private, and ensured deposits appeared instantly in the casino account. Unlike e-wallets, Giropay did not exclude players from bonuses, and unlike cryptocurrencies, it carried no volatility or learning curve. Its only drawback was the lack of withdrawal support, which meant players had to rely on standard bank transfers to cash out winnings.
