Austria Expands Official Online Gambling Offerings

While Austrian gambling laws do not promote a state-sanctioned internet gambling monopoly like the ones found in many EU countries, the government does limit local offerings. All online gambling sites in Austria that are licensed by the local gaming authority are allowed only to accept Austrian players. This limitation gives the local government some degree of control over the online gambling industry in Austria.  

Of the few internet gambling sites with local licenses, the most “official” is win2day, a site jointly operated by Austrian Lotteries and Casinos Austria. In a recent press release, it was announced that Austrian Lotteries has signed an extended contract with their software provider GTECH G2 to expand its online offerings.  

The site currently offers online lottery services, along with casino games and a poker room. The new contract will add several games to the mix, giving Austrian gamblers more variety to choose from.  

Both parties are excited about the new agreement. Michael Rittmannsberger of Austrian Lotteries said, “G2 has earned our trust and respect since we’ve been working with them, and they have a leading portfolio of games, so they were a logical choice as we develop our online offering.” 

G2 representative Ulf Rehnström was likewise positive: “With the extensive iGaming software and player management expertise we’ve gathered, and our long standing relationship with state lotteries, G2 is uniquely positioned to help this client extend its offering to include more online games.”  

Austrian players are free to gamble at these locally-licensed gaming sites, but they are also able to look abroad. The government does nothing to block foreign-hosted gambling groups from offering internet gambling in Austria. There are dozens of trusted internet gambling sites that accept Austrian players, and many offer German language services. While win2day is expanding its services, the site still has a long way to go before it can stand up to this foreign competition.