Austria Gambling Reform Enters EU Review as Monopoly Era Ends

⏱ 3 min read

Austria has filed the most comprehensive overhaul of its gambling laws in more than 30 years with the European Commission, triggering a mandatory review that will determine whether a new open-licensing framework can replace the country's entrenched monopoly structure. The Austrian Ministry of Finance submitted the draft on 4 August 2026, initiating a standstill period scheduled to run until 5 November 2026, after which parliament can enact the legislation.

At stake is a market long closed to international operators. The draft proposes 13 casino licences awarded in packages, an open online gambling concession system, a national cross-operator self-exclusion register, and statutory deposit limits — with the market targeted to open in October 2027. For unlicensed operators currently serving Austrian players, the deadline to exit is 1 January 2027.

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End of a 30-Year Monopoly

Austria's gambling market has been governed by the Glücksspielgesetz (GSpG) since 1989, granting exclusive lottery and online gambling rights to Österreichische Lotterien and casino rights to Casinos Austria. That structure has repeatedly drawn legal challenges from European operators who argue it violates EU principles on the free movement of services.

The draft was submitted under the EU's TRIS (Technical Regulation Information System) procedure — the formal mechanism by which member states must notify the Commission of proposed technical rules before adoption. The coalition government of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS has committed to liberalising the sector. The Commission and other member states have until 5 November 2026 to raise objections or issue detailed opinions before the law can be passed.

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The New Licensing Framework

The reform caps the market at 13 casino licences, expected to be awarded in packages rather than individually. Industry observers expect Casinos Austria — which publicly supports the package-based approach — to bid for a significant block, while smaller operators argue individual concessions would deliver a fairer competitive market.

Online gambling will shift to an open concession system supported by a new digital supervisory platform. This platform will independently monitor operator compliance with deposit limits, removing the ability for individual companies to override or circumvent centrally set thresholds. Enforcement tools include payment blocking, domain blacklisting, and network blocking to channel players away from unlicensed services.

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Player Protection Rules

The draft introduces statutory deposit limits that vary by age:

• Players aged 18 to 25: maximum €250 per week
• Players aged 26 and above: maximum €1,680 per month
• Players aged 23 and above with no evidence of harm may be eligible for higher limits under a risk-based assessment

A national exclusion register will, for the first time, span casino gambling, online platforms and slot machines simultaneously. Players excluded at one operator or product category will be automatically barred across the entire regulated market — closing the loophole that allows problem gamblers to circumvent single-operator bans by switching providers.

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Operator Obligations and Deadlines

The reform sets a hard exit deadline for unlicensed operators. Businesses currently serving Austrian consumers without authorisation must cease all operations by 1 January 2027. Those that comply with this cooling-off period become eligible to apply for an online licence from 30 September 2027. Operators that miss the exit deadline face an 18-month ban from applying for a licence, rising to a 24-month ban for those still operating after 31 December 2029.

The parliamentary process can proceed during the EU standstill period, meaning Austria could have legislation ready to pass immediately after 5 November 2026 if the Commission raises no blocking objections. The full market opening is targeted for October 2027.

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Reform at a Glance

Feature	Current Framework	Proposed Reform
Market structure	State monopoly (since 1989)	Open concession — up to 13 casino licences
Online gambling	Österreichische Lotterien exclusive	Open licensing for qualifying operators
Deposit limits	None mandated centrally	€250/week (under 26); €1,680/month (26+)
Self-exclusion	Operator-level only	National cross-operator, cross-product register
Unlicensed operator deadline	No enforced exit date	Must exit by 1 January 2027
Market open date	N/A	Targeted October 2027

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Sources

Primary and secondary sources consulted for this article, in order of authority.

A central exclusion register spanning operators and game types is being introduced for the first time — closing the loophole that has long allowed problem gamblers to simply switch platforms to avoid their own bans.

— Austrian Ministry of Finance, Draft Gambling Law Submission to European Commission · August 2026