Austria gambling reform nears EU standstill deadline on 5 November

Austria's overhaul of its gambling laws is approaching a key deadline in Brussels, with the standstill period under the European Commission's Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) set to expire on 5 November 2026.

SBC News reported in August that Austria's Ministry of Finance had submitted the reform bill for European review. The proposal would replace the country's online gambling monopoly with an open licensing system, backed by stronger player protection rules and enforcement powers.

The TRIS process allows EU member states and the Commission to raise comments or detailed opinions on draft technical regulations before they take effect. The mechanism exists to protect the single market from barriers to the free movement of goods and services.

The Finance Ministry has said parliamentary proceedings can continue while the standstill period runs, but that the legislation itself cannot be adopted until it ends. The Commission's notification record currently lists 5 November as the closing date.

Under the current regime, Österreichische Lotterien holds the sole online gambling concession through its win2day brand, with authorisation running until 30 September 2027. That is before the new licensing framework would be due to start.

The reform timetable envisages new online gambling concessions being awarded from 1 January 2027, with operations authorised from 1 October 2027. Applicants would need to have settled outstanding tax liabilities and complied with final judgments on player protection claims.

Operators that previously served Austrian consumers without national authorisation could still qualify, provided they withdraw any unauthorised offering by the end of December 2026. Those who fail to comply would face an 18-month exclusion from a concession, extending to 24 months if withdrawal comes after 2029.

SBC News reported last week that Finance Ministry officials linked these conditions to restitution of €20,000 for Austrian players.

The Austrian market featured in Entain's investor call following its third-quarter results. Entain's leadership said they expect the company to be a significant player in a multi-licence Austrian iGaming system, building on its existing presence through the bwin brand. Entain, along with other operators, has nonetheless voiced concern over the proposed cooling-off period.

Beyond opening the market, the reforms include a central register for self-exclusion and operator-imposed exclusions across casinos, gaming machines and online gambling. A digital supervisory system would support cross-operator deposit limits, with lower thresholds for young adults. Players would also be able to set personal time and spending limits, with any increase to self-selected limits subject to a 72-hour waiting period.

New payment blocking, website blocking and blacklisting powers would strengthen action against unlicensed suppliers. Parliamentary documents show the exclusion register and blocking tools are due to come into force from January 2027, ahead of the October settlement date, giving new applicants a transition period before they can begin operations.

If the reform proceeds as planned, Austria would become the latest country to dismantle a gambling monopoly, following similar moves in the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland. Operators are also watching for potential shifts towards multi-licence systems in Norway and Poland.