Austria's draft would open online gambling licences from October 2027

Austria has notified a draft that would create a multi-concession online-gambling market. The parliamentary summary says several providers could operate under the future framework, and the detailed draft permits the first new online concessions from 1 October 2027, immediately after the current exclusive online right is scheduled to expire. No concession has been awarded and the change is not yet law.

The European Commission recorded notification 2026/0415/AT on 4 August. Its TRIS page shows a standstill ending on 5 November, while Austria's Finance Ministry says the parliamentary process may continue during that period. Notification is a procedural checkpoint, not an EU endorsement of the policy.

The proposal creates a central exclusion register covering operators and different forms of gambling, bringing operator exclusions and self-exclusions into one system. It also places deposit limits inside the online supervisory architecture rather than leaving every brand to operate an isolated ceiling.

The detailed draft sets a €250 weekly limit for players up to age 26 and a €1,680 monthly limit from age 26, with a conditional exception available from age 23. A requested increase to a self-set limit would take effect only after 72 hours, adding friction to an immediate spending decision.

The machine rule is easy to misstate. After 90 minutes of continuous play, a machine would switch off and require a cooling period of at least 15 minutes. Calling it a 90-minute cooling-off period reverses the two numbers and exaggerates the proposed interruption.

The ministry also says the reform reduces machine speed and possible stakes. These controls sit alongside the online changes but apply to a different product environment. Atlas keeps them separated so a reader does not assume that every machine rule automatically governs remote casino sessions.

The Finance Ministry says previously illegal providers must stop offering into Austria from 1 January 2027 if they want to apply without delay. Continuing after that point would trigger an 18-month waiting period, rising to 24 months for cessation after the end of 2029.

The draft also links eligibility to unresolved tax liabilities and unpaid player-protection claims. That design turns historic market conduct into a future licensing factor. It does not establish that every offshore operator has such debts or claims; those would require company-specific records.

Austria proposes network blocking, a public blacklist and payment blocking against illegal online gambling. The combination targets both discoverability and financial flows, while the central digital oversight system is intended to support cross-operator controls in the legal market.

The next decisive question is legislative survival. Consultation responses, EU comments and parliamentary amendments may change the limits, dates or eligibility rules. The current story is therefore about a documented market design under review, not a completed liberalisation scheduled beyond challenge.