On Tuesday, Austria’s Ministry of Finance took a significant step by submitting a comprehensive draft of new gambling regulations to the European Commission. This submission begins a mandatory three-month standstill period during which the proposed legislation cannot be enacted.
During this review phase, the European Commission will assess the draft for potential concerns related to state aid and single market regulations, while Austria's parliamentary processes will continue to unfold in parallel.
This draft legislation marks one of the most substantial shifts in Austria’s gambling framework in recent years. Its focus includes stricter controls on online gambling, enhanced protection for players, and a revamped licensing and supervisory system.
The proposed law introduces a national exclusion register aimed at integrating both self-exclusions and operator-imposed bans covering casino games, slot machines, and online gambling platforms. The goal is to prevent individuals who are excluded from gambling from easily switching between different platforms to bypass these restrictions.
Additionally, the draft stipulates specific deposit limits for online gambling and slot machines, with even stricter limits tailored to younger adults aged 18 to 26. This initiative seeks to bolster protections for more vulnerable younger players.
The legislation also seeks to lower maximum stakes and reduce the speed of slot machine games. Operators will be required to mandate a cooling-off break after 90 consecutive minutes of play to address excessive gambling.
Operators will also gain new responsibilities to assess the addictive potential of their offerings, supporting a wider range of research efforts and policymaking aimed at reducing gambling harm.
In terms of market openness, the government plans to establish open licensing for online gambling operators alongside transitional rules. Operators who are currently providing illegal services will need to cease operations by January 1, 2027, to qualify for a license immediately.
Failure to comply will result in an enforcement waiting period, initially set at 18 months, increasing to 24 months after 2030. Furthermore, applicants are required to settle any outstanding tax liabilities and unpaid claims from around 20,000 affected players, addressing previous enforcement lapses.
The Austrian Betting and Gaming Association (OVWG) has expressed skepticism regarding the transitional period’s potential to significantly shift players to the licensed channels, cautioning instead that the black market could benefit.
The reform includes a digital supervisory platform featuring a centralized, operator-independent deposit limit, alongside enforcement mechanisms such as payment blocking, blacklisting, and network blocking, all aimed at preventing illegal operators from accessing Austrian customers and guiding players toward licensed options.
Although the draft law proposes a maximum of 13 casino licenses, it allows for these to be allocated in packages to manage competition and ensure a balanced geographical distribution, reinforcing player protection.
Niklas Sattler, a former employee of Casinos Austria, has advocated for individual concessions as a fairer means to open the market. Casinos Austria, currently a monopoly in the casino sector, has been vocal about keeping the packages intact. Sattler suggests that instead of two packages of six, there could be one package of six and another of seven to allow a competitor, like Merkur, to enter the market, which he claims would disadvantage smaller operators.
Sattler commented, “We believe it’s quite unfair.” Political analyst Felix Geyer expressed doubt about the government's ability to issue licenses within a year, questioning whether they would even begin the process before the law comes into effect.
If everything unfolds as planned, the market could see an opening in October 2027.
