Austria is set to undergo the “biggest reform” of its Gambling Act in over two decades, aimed at enhancing player protections and providing a “fundamental new regulation” for online licences in the country.
"We are improving player protection and we are bringing order to an online market that has become grayer and blacker in recent years,” SPÖ negotiator Jan Krainer said.
"The reform of the gambling law was overdue. It has been possible to reconcile many conflicting interests. The most important of these are that we are improving player protection and bringing order to an online market that has become increasingly grey and blacker in recent years."
The new Gambling Act looks to provide “more clarity and fair market conditions,” as well as strengthen player protection.
The regulation will open the domestic online gambling market to more providers after only being available for lottery organisations, as well as to those “who meet the strict requirements.”
Operators previously active in Austria without an official gaming licence will be required to undergo a “cooling-off” period by concluding the “previous illegal online offer” from 1 January 2027 until the licence is awarded.
For operators who choose not to comply, an 18-month blocking period will then be enforced, while those who apply for the online licence must first settle any outstanding debts to the state and all unpaid claims for player protection lawsuits.
A central, cross-operator and cross-game blocking register will be introduced as part of the new Gambling Act reform, in which both operator-side blocking and self-blocking will be centrally recorded.
The Austrian Government will also implement deposit limits, including €250 per week for users between the ages of 18 and 26, as well as limiting the frequency of games in which they play.
Global Gaming Insider previously analysed Austria’s new Gambling Act reform with Legal experts Dr. Christian Rapani and Felix Hohenthanner, focusing on its implications for operators previously active under EU or EEA licences.
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