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...
The government of Austria submitted its draft Gambling Act overhaul to the European Commission on August 4, 2026, for a review of the proposed regulations.
According to the Finance Ministry, the European Union’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) has received the proposal and has launched a notification procedure. During the review period, which is set to last for 3 months, the Commission and additional member states will be able to assess the draft and share comments before the official adoption of the legislation.
The Finance Ministry shared in a statement:
“The core of the reform is the new regulation of online gambling and the modernization of player protection, focusing on a wide range of player-related measures. The draft law envisions an open licensing procedure for online gambling. The amendment also includes new regulations for the awarding of casino licenses. These will be limited to 13 licenses, with the possibility of awarding them in packages.”
Under the proposed overhaul, operators offering their products after January 1, 2027, without authorization would receive 18-month exclusions from getting a license, while illegal operators would face payment blockings, blacklisting, and network blockings. At the same time, a new national self-exclusion register would be introduced, and deposit limits would be added on online gambling and slot machines.
Additionally, all licensed gambling companies would be required to submit gambling harm analyses to support research measures and future policies for reducing gambling harm.
