Austria publishes draft online gambling reform for public consultation, opening the door to multiple licenses

Austria has published a draft reform that would end the long-running online casino monopoly and replace it with an unlimited multiple-licence regime. For PSPs, acquirers, and banks, the important part is not the politics of market opening; it is the fact that Austria is proposing a fully regulated framework with licensing, deposit caps, self-exclusion, and explicit payment-blocking powers against unlicensed operators.

1. The draft legislation would allow several online gambling operators to obtain licences, provided they meet strict regulatory, financial, and compliance requirements. The government says the goal is not to liberalise the market, but to move existing online gambling activity into a regulated environment while strengthening consumer protection and pushing back against illegal operators.
2. The proposal is open for public consultation until 15 July 2026, after which it will move through the parliamentary process. That timeline matters for anyone tracking when Austria may become a new licensed market rather than a monopoly structure.
3. Player protection sits at the center of the draft. It includes a central self-exclusion register shared across all licensed operators, mandatory player monitoring and responsible gambling obligations, a unified online gambling supervision system, age-based gambling restrictions, and stronger information and regulatory oversight.
4. The draft also sets statutory deposit limits of €250 per week for players under 26 and €1,680 per month for players aged 26 and older. Players aged 23 and above could qualify for higher limits if operators see no signs of gambling-related harm and add further safeguards.
5. Enforcement against unlicensed operators would also tighten. The bill would give Austrian authorities powers for web blocking, targeted payment blocking against illegal operators, public blacklists of unlicensed gambling companies, and stronger investigative and supervisory powers for regulators.

For market entry, the first online gambling licences would be issued for up to five years, with renewals available for periods of up to 10 years. To qualify, operators would need to be set up as a public limited company or limited liability company with a supervisory board, have their registered office in Austria or another EU/EEA member state, hold at least €10 million in paid-up share capital, show financial integrity and regulatory compliance, and pay a €300,000 licence fee.