Austrian gambling reforms postponed to December 2026

Austria has delayed its new gambling law reforms until December 7 to clear the EU notification process, after Malta published a detailed opinion on the original November 5 deadline.

The legislation is set to replace the online casino and lottery monopoly held by Win2Day, part of Austrian Lotteries, with an open licensing system, and the government is targeting a market launch in October 2027, when Win2Day’s license runs out. Parliament is still expected to vote on the amendments before Christmas, so the delay is unlikely to shift the overall timeline, but it does shorten the window for operators preparing applications before the law takes effect on January 1.

Felix Geyer, Austrian public affairs consultant, said:

“What I would like to ask is cui bono. It will not delay the process of the legislation since it was planned for 9–11 December regardless. The regulator will most likely see it as an action taken out of spite, and I wonder whether it is the smartest choice for a first formal action for Malta-based operators to annoy their new regulator.”

Cross-border operators currently serving Austria under EU licenses will face a nine-month cooling-off period, switching off online casino for Austrian customers by December 31 or risking a longer 18-month exclusion. The Ministry of Finance estimates that around 20,000 players could be compensated by unlicensed operators for gray market losses, and the betting association OVWG has warned that the transition rules may push players toward the black market.

New slot machine rules will lower maximum stakes and game speed and add a 90-minute break after continuous play.