Malta's objection complicates Austria's licensing process

Austria's planned gambling reforms have been delayed at EU level in the notification process, which was automatically extended due to Malta's detailed opinion. The end date of the standstill period has been moved from 5 November 2026 to 7 December 2026. The government continues to largely keep its plan to bring the law into force next year.

In Austria, the online casino and lottery monopoly is currently held by Win2Day. Win2Day is an affiliate of Austrian Lotteries. The new draft would establish an open licensing system and require operators to meet financial, regulatory and responsible gaming standards.

The draft provides that companies already offering services illegally in the country must stop their activities by 1 January 2027 in order to obtain a license. Those who fail to comply will face a ban of 18 months, and from 2030 onward, a ban of 24 months. The Ministry of Finance estimates that about 20,000 players who suffered losses on the grey market could receive compensation. The Austrian Betting and Gaming Association (OVWG) argues that the transition rules may fail to steer players toward legal platforms and could strengthen the black market.

The new framework also includes sanctions such as payment blocking and network blocking. Deposit limits will apply to all licensed operators, with lower limits for players aged 18 to 26. A national self-exclusion register will be set up and will bring together bans on casinos, slot halls and online platforms under one roof. The maximum stake and play speed on slot machines will be reduced, and a 90-minute waiting period will be introduced after continuous play.