Austria is advancing toward liberalizing its gambling market by submitting a draft gambling law to the European Commission for review. This draft, provided by the Ministry of Finance, triggers a three-month evaluation period where the Commission will assess whether the proposed legislation adheres to EU regulations, particularly in relation to state assistance and the single market principles.
The draft law proposes a national self-exclusion system for online gambling, casinos, and gaming machines, which prevents banned players from accessing services from licensed operators. Additionally, it introduces mandatory deposit limits for online gambling and gaming machines, with stricter limits for players aged 18 to 26. Other responsible gaming initiatives include reducing gaming machine stakes, slowing game paces, and enforcing mandatory breaks after 90 minutes of play. Operators will also be required to analyze their games and contribute to research on gambling issues.
This initiative aims to transform Austria's current monopoly on online gambling into an open licensing system. Operators servicing Austrian customers without a license will need to cease operations by January 1, 2027, to qualify for a license. Those who continue operating illegally will face a waiting period of 18 months before they can apply for licensing, which will increase to 24 months after 2030.
License applicants must first fulfill their tax responsibilities and resolve any player claims before their applications can be processed. Under the proposed framework, up to 13 casino licenses could be issued, with the possibility of awarding them in bundles.
However, the proposal has raised concerns among various stakeholders in the industry. Some experts doubt that Austria will be able to complete the licensing process before the target implementation of its new regulated gambling market in 2027.
