About this app
About Blue Oceans
The DSWV said the findings should prompt a thorough reassessment of official black market size estimates in Germany.
The DOCV, another trade body representing licensed online casino operators in Germany, also expressed support for the prosecutorial efforts. However, it emphasised that the raid exposed regulatory gaps which had allowed organised crime to flourish.
Kevin O’Neal, a DOCV board member, argued the scale of the investigation calls the GGL’s broader black market estimates into question. He cited the regulator’s 2025 activity report, which put the 2024 share at 23% (€547 million in gross gaming revenue), against Nielsen data suggesting a share of around 56%.
How to play Blue Oceans
According to the survey, the problem arises when a user follows a single account related to betting. The platform’s recommendation system then starts showing other profiles in the same segment, including betting sites, influencers and specialised pages.
Among the 100 most recommended profiles are accounts that, together, have accumulated more than 6 million followers and 114,000 posts. There are three main types of profiles recommended by Instagram: operators, content creators and media specialising in the betting market.
The research also identified content that associates betting with investments and the possibility of income.
What is Blue Oceans?
Many players use a fixed cash-out target, such as 1.5x or 2x, and exit automatically every round. This removes emotion from the decision and keeps losses predictable.
The outcome of each round is determined by a provably fair system, which means every result can be independently verified. This transparency is part of why the format caught on so quickly.
As with any game, the house edge is real and the mathematics always favours the operator over time. Treat crash games as short bursts of entertainment rather than a strategy for steady income.