Austria’s government has taken a significant step toward reshaping its gambling landscape by submitting proposed Gambling Act reforms to the European Commission.
The Austrian Finance Ministry confirmed the draft has entered the European Union’s Technical Regulation Information System, known as the TRIS notification procedure.
This submission triggered a three-month standstill period during which the Commission and other EU member states can review the draft and issue comments.
Austria cannot formally adopt the new legislation until that standstill period concludes, giving regulators across the bloc time to weigh in on the proposals.
The draft, certain details of which were revealed in May, proposes replacing the country’s current monopoly model with an open concession system for online gambling.
Central to the reform is a new regulatory framework designed to strengthen player protection while tackling illegal gambling and opening Austria’s online market to competition.
Under the proposals, companies that continue to offer unlicensed gambling services in Austria beyond 1 January 2027 would face an 18-month exclusion period from obtaining a licence.
That exclusion period increases to 24 months from 2030, with applicants also required to settle outstanding tax liabilities and unpaid player protection claims before being considered.
The government said these measures would support affected players while ensuring only compliant operators can enter the newly regulated market going forward.
Enforcement against illegal gambling would also be strengthened through payment blocking, blacklisting, and network blocking measures introduced under the reformed framework.
Other structural elements include a new digital supervision system to oversee a central cross-operator deposit limit, with casino concessions capped at 13.
Player protection sits at the heart of the draft, with plans to create a central cross-operator self-exclusion register spanning casinos, slot machines, and online gambling.
Mandatory deposit limits for online gambling and slot machines would also be introduced, with lower thresholds specifically set for players between the ages of 18 and 26.
Operators would be required to submit gambling harm analyses to support scientific research, adding an evidence-based dimension to the country’s regulatory oversight.
Gaming machines would face reduced staking and gameplay speeds under the reforms, alongside a mandatory cool-down period after 90 minutes of continuous play.
With the draft now before the Commission, attention will turn to whether the three-month standstill period concludes without significant delays or objections from member states.
If the notification process moves smoothly, the legislation is expected to return to Austria’s parliament for formal approval before the reforms can be implemented across the country.
The overhaul represents one of Austria’s most comprehensive attempts to modernise its gambling sector and bring it in line with broader European regulatory standards.
