Austria’s gambling reform enters EU review, paving the way for a 13-license casino market by 2027

Austria’s Ministry of Finance has formally submitted its gambling reform package to the European Commission, beginning a mandatory three-month review period before the legislation can be adopted.

Austria’s restructured gambling market is expected to open in October 2027 if the proposed legislative timetable proceeds as planned. The proposed law would permit a maximum of 13 casino licences, which could be awarded in packages.

Licensing authorities would be required to ensure a balanced geographical distribution and prevent excessive competition among casinos, with those conditions intended to support player protection.

Casinos Austria, which currently holds the casino monopoly, has publicly called for the package-based system to be retained, although smaller players argue that offering individual concessions would provide the fairest approach to opening the market.

Many expect the government to split the licences into large packages, for instance, two packages of six and seven licences respectively. The approach could enable another large operator to enter the market while limiting opportunities for smaller companies.

The reform would also introduce open licensing for online gambling operators, supported by transitional provisions for companies currently providing services without authorization. Those operators would need to stop serving the Austrian market by January 1, 2027, to become immediately eligible to apply for a licence.

Operators that fail to meet the deadline would face an 18-month waiting period before becoming eligible, increasing to 24 months from 2030. Applicants would also have to settle outstanding tax obligations and unpaid claims involving approximately 20,000 affected players, addressing liabilities linked to previous enforcement gaps.

A new digital supervisory platform would oversee the regulated sector and incorporate a central deposit limit that operates independently of individual gambling companies. The proposed enforcement framework would include payment blocking, blacklisting and network blocking to restrict illegal operators from serving Austrian customers and direct gambling activity toward licensed providers.

The Austrian Betting and Gaming Association, known as the OVWG, has expressed skepticism that the transitional arrangements would generate substantial channelization toward Win2Day or licensed land-based operators. The association instead expects the black market could benefit most from the changes.

Player protection provisions include the creation of a national exclusion register covering casino gambling, slot machines and online platforms. The system would combine voluntary self-exclusions with bans imposed by operators, preventing excluded players from moving between gambling products or companies to avoid restrictions.

Mandatory deposit limits would apply to online gambling and slot machines, with lower thresholds imposed on adults between the ages of 18 and 26. The separate limits are intended to provide additional safeguards for younger players considered more vulnerable to gambling-related harm.

The legislation would also reduce maximum slot-machine stakes and require slower game speeds. Players would be required to take a cooling-off break after 90 consecutive minutes of play as part of measures targeting excessive gambling.

Gambling operators would be legally required to assess the addiction potential of their products. The resulting analyses would support research and public policy development concerning gambling harm reduction.

Austria’s Ministry of Finance formally submitted the draft legislation to the European Commission on Tuesday, beginning a compulsory three-month standstill period before the law can be enacted. During the review, the Commission may raise concerns involving state aid or European single market rules, while Austria’s parliamentary process may continue at the same time.