Austria's new gambling law faces a delay at the EU level due to the Maltese government's intervention. Originally set to pass through the EU notification process on Thursday, November 5, the amendments aimed at ending Austria's online gambling monopoly will now see the deadline extended until December 7, following Malta's formal opinion on the legislation.
This postponement places pressure on the Austrian government to expedite the legislation’s passage, with a targeted enforcement date set for next year. However, stakeholders in the market are optimistic that the parliamentary timeline will remain largely unaffected.
Arthur Stadler, a gaming lawyer based in Vienna, stated, "In principle, the timeline remains the same: the passage of the amendments is still expected before Christmas 2026." He added that the window for operators interested in applying for one of Austria's new iGaming licenses will be considerably shorter, with a gap between ratification and the law coming into effect on January 1, 2027.
Concerns have been voiced by the Austrian Association of Betting and Gaming (OVWG), which anticipated Malta's intervention. OVWG president Simon Priglinger-Simader expressed, "We had anticipated a detailed opinion, as we also have concerns about certain provisions of the current Austrian draft law. We are in continuous dialogue with Austrian policymakers to resolve these issues, aiming to create a competitive and effective online gambling market.
Currently, Win2Day, a subsidiary of Austrian Lotteries, holds Austria's only online casino and lotteries license. Nevertheless, several other operators function in the market under licenses from EU jurisdictions, such as Malta.
The proposed gambling act stipulates that these cross-border operators must adhere to a nine-month "cooling-off period" to qualify for an Austrian iGaming license. This implies that online casino services must cease for Austrian customers by December 31, 2023, or risk undergoing an extended 18-month blackout. Furthermore, these operators are obligated to resolve outstanding player claims and tax obligations.
