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(AsiaGameHub) – Following several months of setbacks and postponements, Austria’s Ministry of Finance has completed a draft bill outlining its strategy for regulating the gaming sector going forward. High on the priority list is a highly anticipated transition away from the existing monopoly, opening up the online casino sector to several license holders.
A leaked copy of the draft acquired by iGB reveals that “multiple operators will be permitted to provide online gaming services in Austria going forward” via a “highly regulated licensing framework.”
The ministry noted that this approach would steer consumers away from unlicensed platforms and establish “the maximum achievable levels of player safety.”
Currently, Austria issues just a single license for lottery and online gaming operations. This 15-year concession is possessed by Win2day, a brand under Austrian Lotteries, which is a subsidiary of Casinos Austria—the entity that also controls all 12 brick-and-mortar casino licenses.
The draft indicates that the lottery sector will continue as a monopoly, whereas the online casino market will be opened to an unlimited number of businesses.
These licenses would be issued for an initial five-year term, with the possibility of a 10-year extension.
Retroactive Taxation
Global operators, who have long advocated for market liberalization, are expected to welcome this shift. Nevertheless, entering the newly regulated market will likely carry a steep price tag.
“To be eligible for a license, operators must resolve pending Austrian court judgments and clear all domestic tax liabilities, including retroactive payments,” explained Arthur Stadler, a Vienna-based gaming attorney, in an interview with iGB.
This requirement entails resolving player compensation lawsuits and ensuring full tax compliance for all the years the firms have been active in the Austrian market.
Stadler suggests that these “massive financial demands” might prevent smaller businesses from entering, effectively serving as an unofficial limit on the number of licenses. Even so, he considers the absence of an explicit limit to be a highly encouraging move.
Spending Caps and Mandatory Breaks
Additionally, the draft outlines comprehensive new consumer safety regulations, such as rigid limits on deposits and wagers. According to the proposed framework, users under 26 would be restricted to a weekly deposit of €250 per operator, whereas older users would have a weekly cap of €1,680. This restriction could be bypassed, however, if users can demonstrate adequate financial means.
The maximum bet size would be restricted to €2 per spin or round, representing a major reduction from the existing €5 or €10 limits. Furthermore, the cap on maximum payouts would drop to €2,000 from the current €5,000 or €10,000, and jackpots would be completely prohibited.
The proposed changes also introduce compulsory time-outs for digital gamblers, requiring a 15-minute pause after an hour and a half of uninterrupted gameplay.
Importantly, safeguards from the physical casino sector, such as game-speed regulations, would be applied to the online environment. The draft states: “This guarantees that digital gaming adheres to the same rigorous player safety benchmarks as physical slot machines.”
Digital gambling operations would also undergo ongoing supervision, supported by a nationwide self-exclusion registry managed by the regulatory body.
The Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), which oversees the Ministry of Finance, first introduced these measures in an initial draft of the gaming legislation in January. Their early proposals sought to prolong the existing monopoly, but this plan was quickly abandoned following strong opposition from their coalition allies.
Unclear Schedule for Austrian Online Gaming Reform
While the sector is keen for the process to begin, several years might pass before the initial licenses are actually distributed.
The existing license for Win2Day is set to run out in 2027, coinciding with the expiration of several physical casino concessions held by Casinos Austria. Nevertheless, the draft indicates these could be prolonged if the licensing procedure faces delays, such as from litigation.
Furthermore, the creation of an autonomous gaming regulator is expected to take time, with a potential launch date around 2030. Consequently, the Ministry of Finance would handle the issuance of the new licenses in the interim.
As the current draft undergoes additional discussions among the three coalition parties—the SPÖ, the liberal NEOS, and the center-right ÖVP—further adjustments may occur. Nonetheless, any revisions must be completed ahead of a parliamentary vote scheduled before the summer break in early July.
Offering his perspective on the prospective changes, Simon Priglinger-Simader, president of the ÖVWG industry association, remarked that he is “more optimistic than ever.” However, he noted that several “complex issues” still need to be resolved in the near future.
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