According to Austria’s newly released draft legislation regarding gambling reform, it will end current monopoly for online gambling in country and allow the entry of private sector operators to the online gambling market.
Specifically, the proposed law will liberalise the prior closed market, provide for additional protections for all players. It will provide more stringent monitoring of gambling activities, preventing illegal gambling and implementing strict licensing requirements for new operators.
The proposed licensing requirements include anti-money laundering regulations, responsible gaming, a minimum €10 million share capital.
For operators to be eligible for a licence to operate in Austria, they must cease operating unlicensed on or before 1 Jan 2027. They will be ineligible for new licence application for a minimum of 24 months.
The proposal further imposes restrictions on player deposits with weekly deposit limits for players aged between 18-26 years €250 and €1,680 per month for those over 26, unless approved by means of an affordability review to increase the maximum deposit threshold.
Additional measures related to responsible play include: increasing the minimum spin time of a slot machine from one second to two seconds; mandatory time breaks after 90 minutes of play; and lowering the maximum single stake to €5 per single spin.
As intended, following the public review process the proposed law will be passed in a formal vote by the Austrian government.
