Austria Moves to End Decades-Old iGaming Monopoly

Austria's gambling reform is now moving through the EU notification process, alongside the domestic legislative procedure. Austria submitted the draft legislation to the European Commission formally starting the process of dismantling the online gambling monopoly currently held by Casinos Austria and its win2day brand. The notification triggers a three-month standstill period under EU single market rules, ending November 5, during which the Commission can raise objections related to state aid or market compatibility.

Win2day has held Austria's only online gambling license since the vertical was legalized in 2010, operating as a subsidiary of Casinos Austria, which has controlled the country's land-based casino sector for nearly 60 years. The Austrian state holds a roughly 33 percent stake in Casinos Austria through its holding company ÖBAG, with the remainder split primarily between Novomatic, which holds about 17 percent, and Sazka Group, which holds roughly 11 percent and has an option to increase its stake to 34 percent. Under the draft reform, the lottery monopoly would stay in place, but online casino licensing would open to an uncapped number of operators, while a separate allotment of up to 13 licenses would end the monopoly on land-based casinos as well.

The framework pairs market liberalization with a notably strict player protection regime. Proposed rules include a national self-exclusion register, a weekly deposit limit of 250 euros for players under 26, a monthly deposit limit of 1,680 euros for players 26 and older, a stake limit of 5 euros, and a maximum customer winnings cap of 10,000 euros. Operators that had been serving Austrian players without a local license would need to exit the market entirely by January 1, 2027, to remain eligible to apply once licensing opens, with missed deadlines carrying an 18-month exclusion from eligibility, rising to 24 months starting in 2030.

Reaction inside Austria has split along predictable lines. Casinos Austria has defended the existing monopoly as a sound regulatory model, arguing the current system offers what it calls optimum player protection quality. The Austrian Association for Betting and Gambling has raised the opposite concern, warning that the proposed structure, particularly the low stake and deposit limits, could push players toward unregulated black-market operators rather than the newly licensed channel. Both positions will likely shape how the draft is amended during the parliamentary process running alongside the EU review.

If the timeline holds, Austria's regulated online gambling market would open to competitive licensing in October 2027, joining a broader pattern of European monopoly markets moving toward open licensing regimes. Operators with existing EU footprints, along with the payments and compliance vendors that serve them, should begin evaluating the deposit and stake limit structure now, since it is markedly tighter than comparable regimes elsewhere in the EU and will shape product and marketing design well before licenses are issued. The January 2027 market-exit deadline for unlicensed operators is the more immediate date to track, since it determines eligibility for the entire licensing window that follows.