Austria Moves Toward Major Online Gambling Reform by 2026
Austria’s long-debated regulatory reform is gaining momentum, marking what could become one of the most significant shifts in the country’s online gambling framework. After years of legislative delays and political stalemates, the government is now moving forward with a proposal that aims to align the national market with established European regulatory standards. The draft legislation, expected to reach the Council of Ministers soon, would introduce a modern structure designed to replace the existing monopoly granted to Österreichische Lotterien and its digital platform win2day.
Despite the current single-operator model, Austria’s market has long operated in a fragmented reality, with offshore companies holding EU licences serving local consumers without domestic authorisation. This has resulted in limited oversight, weakened responsible gambling safeguards and substantial tax leakage. The proposed reform seeks to address these gaps through a combination of strengthened player protection, enhanced compliance obligations and dedicated enforcement measures.
A central element of the proposal is the introduction of a unified self-exclusion system, mirroring the model used in Germany, which prevents at-risk players from accessing any licensed gaming environment. Policymakers are also considering payment blocking as a primary enforcement tool to disrupt transactions with unlicensed operators. While technically complex, this approach is widely regarded as more effective than IP blocking.
The future licensing model remains under discussion, with options ranging from a limited number of licences to a broader, liberalised structure. Each approach carries implications for competition, supervision and market stability. The bill will undergo parliamentary review, committee evaluation and European Commission scrutiny before a final vote.
If implemented as anticipated, the reform could transform Austria into one of Europe’s most structured and transparent online gambling jurisdictions, strengthening consumer protections while improving regulatory efficiency.
