The Austrian government is moving towards the adoption of a new gambling law to put an end to the country’s monopolized industry, with officials now debating whether...
Austria launches public review of draft gambling reforms
The government of Austria has agreed on new gambling reforms, which are set to launch a regulated iGaming market for operators, with a public consultation on the draft laws now open for feedback until July 15, 2026.
According to the industry overhaul proposal, private operators will be allowed to submit license applications if they meet financial and compliance standards and have a minimum of €10 million in capital. Additionally, operators would have to pay a €70,000 license fee and temporarily stop operations in Austria until they receive formal approval.
Finance spokesperson of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), Andreas Ottenschläger, stated:
“With the new gambling law, we are taking a step towards more competition, legal certainty, and fair market conditions. Opening up the online market ends outdated monopoly structures, creates new investment incentives, and strengthens Austria as a business location. At the same time, we are strengthening player protection through clear and modern safeguards and taking decisive action against illegal providers.”
The draft also states that operators who continue to illegally offer their products after January 1, 2027, will face an 18-month cooling-off period before being allowed to receive a license, with the waiting period set to extend to 24 months starting from January 1, 2030.
SPÖ finance spokesperson Jan Krainer added:
“The reform of the gambling law was long overdue. We have succeeded in reconciling many conflicting interests. The most important of these are: We are improving player protection and bringing order to an online market that has become increasingly murky and corrupt in recent years.”
Under the new system, authorities will have the power to impose payment blocks, blacklisting IBANs, and ordering providers to stop illegal gambling-related transfers, as well as conducting IP blocks through Google, Cloudflare, and AWS. A central self-exclusion system is also expected to be introduced.
Leaked gambling reform drafts have revealed that Austria’s Finance Ministry has developed plans to liberalize the gambling sector and allow multiple operators to offer online...
