Germany-facing online casino operators could find themselves off the hook for potential prosecution if they choose to immediately implement rules laid out in the new federal gambling treaty.

On Thursday, German broadcaster NDR reported that a working group comprised of state law firms is recommending that internationally licensed online gambling operators who currently offer casino products to German customers could avoid enforcement actions if they agree to pretend that the new federal gambling treaty is already in force.

In January, Germany’s 16 states agreed to a new federal gambling framework that will authorize online casino and poker products as of July 1, 2021. But these products will be subject to strict limits on deposits and online slots stakes, while punters will also be required to hold separate accounts for each gaming vertical.

Internationally licensed online sportsbooks that hope to receive licenses under Germany’s new framework were told to cut off their online casino customers until next July but not all operators complied. While some states are willing to tolerate this defiance, others are most definitely not, posing a threat to the hard-won consensus on the new treaty.