Gambling Laws in Austria

Online gambling in Austria is legal under the Austrian Law on Games of Chance (Glücksspielgesetz), commonly called the Austrian Gambling Act, as well as the provision of the E-commerce Act (E-commerce Gesetz), in all its variety. Sections 1 and 3 of the Austrian Gambling Act contain precise definitions of the forms of games of chance that are regulated. These include but are not limited to casino games, table games, slot machines, lotto, bingo, and poker. The sections also contain precise definitions of the legal forms of online gambling in Austria, which practically cover all electronic variants of games of chance.   The bodies responsible for regulation of the gambling activities in the country are divided on a federal and state level depending on the types of games. In compliance with the Austrian gambling laws licenses for providing lotteries and casino games can be obtained by the Federal Minister of Finance which also supervises these sectors. On the other side, licences for provincial games with slot machines as well as betting can be obtained by the provincial governments which are, at the same time, the regulatory authorities in these sectors. Minors, under 18 years of age are prohibited to participate in gambling activities.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Austria? Yes, online gambling is legal in Austria in all its variety.

Online Casinos in Austria

There is only one licensed online casino in Austria whose work is also regulated by the Austrian Gambling Act (Glücksspielgesetz). This is due to the fact that the market is a monopoly administered by the Österreichische Lotterien GmbH and Casinos Austria. However, sites licensed from other countries in the European Union are also available, as the Austrian law doesn’t have provisions to block them. 

Online Poker in Austria

Poker is part of the regular offer of every casino in Austria. Due to the monopoly of the Österreichische Lotterien GmbH over much of the online gaming sector in the country, the only Austrian there is only one licensed site for online poker. Although there are no specific online poker laws in Austria, the general legislation that allows foreign gambling websites, licensed elsewhere in the European Union, to offer their products on the Austrian market, also holds for this game too. Hence some foreign specialized online poker sites are freely accessible from the country.

Online Lottery in Austria

Although there are no specific Austrian online lottery laws, the regulations derived from the Austrian Gambling Act - in particular from Section 14(6) - serve as a basic legal framework within which the Österreichische Lotterien Gesellschaft m.b.H offers its lotto products and holds the monopoly over the online lottery in Austria as well. 

Online Bingo in Austria

There are no specific Austrian online bingo laws, but the regulations derived from the Austrian Gambling Act, serve as a basic legal framework within which bingo products are offered in the country. Therefore, the Österreichische Lotterien GmbH and Casinos Austria offer the only online bingo site in Austria, though gamblers can access international platforms without being prosecuted. 

Online Sports Betting in Austria

Sports betting in Austria is not considered to be a game of chance but a game of skill. As such, sports betting is not regulated by the Austrian Gambling Act but falls under special regulations of each of the Austrian states. Some general regulations of online sports betting in Austria are however given in the E-commerce Act.

Online DFS in Austria

Online DFS sites in Austria do not have a legally regulated status. There is an ongoing debate on the status of this type of game, but considering the legality of online sports betting in the country it is very probable that Daily Fantasy Sports would soon become legal in Austria.