Austria Closes In On Replacing Its Online Gambling Monopoly

Austria’s plan to replace its online gambling monopoly with an open licensing system is approaching a decisive procedural milestone, with the standstill period under the European Commission’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) due to expire on 5 November 2026. The deadline represents the next key step in a reform process that would restructure the country’s gambling market for the first time in decades.

Austria’s Ministry of Finance formally notified its draft Gambling Act (Glücksspielgesetz) amendments to the European Commission on 4 August 2026, under notification reference 2026/0415/AT. The TRIS procedure requires a mandatory three-month standstill period, during which the Commission and other EU member states may examine the draft and raise objections concerning its compatibility with EU rules, including the free movement of services.

With the standstill set to conclude on 5 November, the Austrian government cannot formally adopt the legislation before that date. Once the period expires without a detailed opinion from the Commission, the draft can proceed through the domestic parliamentary process, where it has been before the Nationalrat’s Finance Committee since 14 September.

Key Provisions of the Reform

The draft law would end the online gambling monopoly held by Österreichische Lotterien under the win2day brand, a structure rooted in gambling legislation dating back to 1989. Its principal elements include:

• Open online licensing from 1 October 2027, with online gambling concessions to be granted without a numerical cap.
• Up to 13 land-based casino licences, allocated in packages rather than individually.
• Enforcement measures from 1 January 2027, including network blocking and payment blocking targeting unlicensed operators.
• Enhanced player protection, comprising a central self-exclusion register and cross-operator deposit limits.
• Tighter sanctions and data-processing powers, along with strengthened action against match-fixing, supported by amendments to the Telecommunications Act 2021.

The stated objective of the reform is to address the growth of the illegal gambling market by creating a strictly regulated concession system modelled on international best practice. Transitional provisions would allow current electronic lottery arrangements to remain in place under certain conditions until 31 December 2028.

Compliance Requirements and Open Questions

The notification clarifies that operators currently serving Austrian customers without a licence would face firm expectations. Under the draft framework, unlicensed operators are required to exit the Austrian market by 1 January 2027 or face a substantially longer licensing route. Industry sources have also indicated that authorities are considering a cooling-off period of between 24 and 36 months for grey-market operators seeking entry after liberalisation, a prospect that has drawn attention from prospective licensees.

The Finance Ministry has indicated it expects around 20 applicants to pursue concessions under the new system. Industry representatives have expressed reservations about that estimate, and questions remain over the practical implications of the compliance deadlines for operators currently active in the market.

If the standstill period concludes without objections, Austria will be free to move the legislation through parliament in line with its proposed timetable, keeping the October 2027 market opening within reach. Should the Commission or a member state issue a detailed opinion, the process would face further scrutiny and potential delay.