Online gambling in Austria is legal but tightly restricted. Online casino and lottery are a de facto state monopoly run by Austrian Lotteries’ win2day brand; sports betting is not covered by the federal Gambling Act and is regulated separately at provincial level; and the many offshore and crypto casinos that accept Austrian players do so from offshore rather than under an Austrian licence. A 2026 draft reform would open the online casino market to multiple licensees for the first time.

Austria regulates games of chance under the Gambling Act (Glucksspielgesetz). Unlike most EU states, online gambling other than sports betting is bundled into a single lottery licence, making it a de facto monopoly. Games of chance are a federal matter overseen by the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF). Sports betting is a separate, provincial (Bundesland) matter, regulated by each of the nine states under its own betting law. The 2026 draft reform proposes an independent gambling authority, envisaged around 2030.

The sole licensed online casino and lottery operator is win2day, run by Osterreichische Lotterien (Austrian Lotteries). Land-based casinos are run by Casinos Austria. Because sports betting sits outside the federal Gambling Act, brands such as tipp3 (Osterreichische Sportwetten) can operate retail and online under provincial permits.

Licensed vs offshore sites

If a site is not win2day (for casino/lottery) or a provincially licensed bookmaker, it is not licensed in Austria. Numerous international and crypto casinos accept Austrian players, but they do so from offshore and outside Austrian consumer-protection rules. Austrian courts have in a number of cases allowed players to reclaim losses from unlicensed operators, and the draft reform would require any operator seeking a future licence to first stop unlicensed activity by 1 January 2027 and settle final Austrian court judgments obtained by players.

The 2026 reform

The government published a draft amendment to the Gambling Act for public consultation, with a 15 July 2026 deadline. Reported proposed features include:

ElementProposal (per draft)
Market modelLotteries stay a monopoly; online casino opens to an uncapped number of licensees
Licence term5 years initially, extendable by a further 10
Operator tax45% of gross gaming revenue
Minimum capitalAt least EUR 10 million share capital
Stake capAround EUR 2 per spin or game
Deposit limitsReported EUR 250 per week for players under 26; EUR 1,680 per month for those 26 and over
Player breaks15-minute break after 90 minutes of continuous play
Self-exclusionNational, cross-provider register

These figures come from the draft law and may change during the legislative process.

Payment methods locals use

On the licensed win2day platform, Austrians typically use debit and credit cards, bank transfer (including instant EU transfers), and e-wallets. win2day does not accept cryptocurrency. Offshore crypto casinos advertise Bitcoin and stablecoin deposits, but these are not Austrian-licensed services.

Tax on winnings

For recreational players, gambling winnings are generally not subject to personal income tax, because they fall outside Austria’s seven categories of taxable income and are treated as a stroke of luck. Tax exposure arises only if gambling becomes a professional, primary source of income. Gambling levies apply to operators, not players.

Safer gambling help

If gambling stops being fun, help is free and confidential. Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries run a player-protection hotline on 0800 202 304 (free within Austria), with counselling contacts listed at playsponsible.at. Players can request temporary or permanent self-exclusion, and the reform would build a single national self-exclusion register covering online and land-based play.

18+ only. Gambling should be entertainment, never a way to make money. If it stops being fun, set limits, take a break, or seek support.

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