Online Gambling in Austria: Key Features

Several years ago, in response to the increasing risk of ludomania, Austria’s government decided to tighten regulation of the entertainment industry in an attempt to return gambling indicators to the levels of the early 2000s.

The following products remain legal (and strictly controlled) throughout the country:

• slots;
• poker;
• card games;
• sports betting.

In this article, Online Casino Market’s experts will talk in detail about the features of the Austrian iGaming sector.

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Legislation

The situation in the jurisdiction is unique in that the government distinguishes between “real” entertainment for money, where large sums are spent, and “games of chance” with small bets. The latter is permitted everywhere, while the former is only allowed in casinos.

For some unknown reason, amendments to the gambling law vary across the country. For example, Vienna permits fewer gaming venues per capita than other cities due to its dense population.

According to legal standards, companies based in Austria have the right to obtain a casino licence to conduct iGaming activities via the Internet, mobile devices, and interactive television. Still, only residents of the country are allowed to use their services.

Foreign operators hoping to attract Austrian consumers will face bureaucratic hurdles, including a control commission and a registered local office.

The Bet-at-Home company was found guilty of violating these regulations in 2011, as it operated in the state under a Maltese certificate. Its website was immediately shut down.

Popular Markets

As in most European countries, football is the most popular sport in Austria, as well as betting on it.

However, the local league is not particularly competitive due to the dominance of Viennese clubs. Therefore, the Bundesliga in neighbouring Germany is in high demand in Austria, and locals often bet on it.

Given the climatic conditions and mountainous landscape, winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding have many fans.

Hockey is also widespread. The local league can best be described as promising. Austria's athletic success is largely restricted to the winter season, and accordingly, wagers are placed much more often during the Winter Olympics than the summer ones.

There is also strong demand for poker in the jurisdiction, despite the relatively limited number of casinos offering this kind of entertainment. Vienna boasts the largest poker room in Europe. However, many punters prefer to play via the Internet.

Austria's most successful online gambler is Nikolaus Jedlicka, who won over $3 million in 2007 but has failed to replicate his success since.

In 2012 alone, €14 billion in bets were placed. Revenues from digital casinos and sportsbooks increased by 7% compared to the previous year, whilst income from the land-based segment grew by 11%. Meanwhile, profits from slot machines declined by 10%.

Future of Gambling in Austria

The European Court recently ruled that the state control over Austria's entertainment sphere complies with EU standards, despite numerous legal challenges from online bookmakers seeking to break through the national monopoly.

Founded in 1967, Casinos Austria is one of the world's largest operators. It owns 40 land-based facilities in 16 countries, 8 onboard venues, 15 slot parlours, and 1 iGaming platform.

The jurisdiction’s government has been criticised for failing to protect its citizens from ludomania and corruption.

Austria has also seen a wave of arrests related to gambling addiction, which has further fueled support for stricter control of the industry to help people suffering from ludomania.

Therefore, gambling has a future in the country, but it is regulated, and foreigners are not welcome there.

The Main Things About iGaming in Austria

To succeed in the highly competitive niche and expand the customer base, it is important to understand the nuances of this business.

The Online Casino Market studio offers assistance with launching a profitable iGaming project and licensing.

From us, it is also possible to order the following useful solutions:

• a turnkey platform;
• a White Label portal;
• security software;
• popular content, and much more.

For all questions, please contact our managers.

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