Austria Opens Consultation On Sweeping Online Gambling Reforms

Austria has opened public consultations on plans to liberalise its online gambling market, marking another step towards the country’s biggest gambling reforms in over two decades.

The consultation follows the governing coalition’s agreement to launch a competitive licensing system in October 2027. Under the draft framework, eligible operators will be able to apply for licences if they meet a range of financial, governance and compliance requirements.

Applicants must have a supervisory board, robust anti money laundering procedures, effective player protection measures and a minimum share capital of €10 million. Operators will also need to pay €70,000 for a licence under the proposed rules.

The capital requirement stands out compared with other European markets seeking new investment. Estonia requires €1 million in share capital, while Finland, which is also preparing to end its gambling monopoly, assesses licence applications individually without setting a fixed capital threshold.

Cooling Off Period And Market Access Rules Take Shape

The consultation paper proposes a cooling off period that would require licence applicants to stop offering gambling services in Austria from 1 January 2027 until their licence is approved.

Operators that fail to comply would be barred from obtaining a licence for 18 months. The draft also states that licences will only be available to operators based in jurisdictions where Austrian court judgments can be enforced. 

This proposal is likely to draw attention to Malta’s Bill 55, which has been criticised for limiting the enforcement of foreign court rulings against Maltese operators. Before entering the market, applicants must settle outstanding tax liabilities and resolve any unresolved player protection claims.

Player Protection Measures Cut Across The Market

The reforms include several responsible gambling measures to limit player risk. Weekly deposits for customers aged 18 to 26 would be capped at €250. Players aged 26 and above face a monthly deposit limit of €1,680, although higher limits could be approved on a case by case basis for anyone aged at least 23.

Online stakes would be limited to €5 per spin, while maximum winnings would be capped at €10,000. Slot spins must last at least two seconds and players would be required to take a cooling off break after 90 minutes of play.

The draft would also lift the ban on jackpot features and retain 13 land based casino licences across Austria.

Consultation Invites Industry Feedback Before July Deadline

The proposed regulator would receive new enforcement powers, including the ability to block payments by blacklisting IBANs and issuing orders to payment providers. IP blocking would be carried out via AWS, Cloudflare and Google.

Austria also plans to introduce a centralised self exclusion register covering all gambling products except the national lottery, which would remain under the management of Win2Day.

Stakeholders have until 15 July 2026 to submit feedback before the government finalises the proposed regulatory framework.

Austria’s government kicks off plans to implement widespread reforms across its gambling sector. The country is imposing player protection measures and share capital limits on operators. Its new regulator will also have extensive enforcement powers under the latest proposal.  

Further updates on regulatory developments will be available in the Regulation Section.