The regulation of the gambling business in Austria is rather complicated and has its own peculiarities. On the one hand, all types of gambling activities are legalized in Austria. On the other hand, there are a huge number of restrictions in the legislation of Austria that prevent you from obtaining a gambling license in this country.
Peculiarities of gambling business regulation in Austria
Austria is part of the European Union and is considered one of the most authoritative jurisdictions. It is worth noting that Austria was one of the most loyal countries in relation to gambling until 2012. However, the situation has changed since then, and it has become much more challenging to obtain a gambling license in Austria. Only monopolies can offer lotteries and gambling online till September 2027, so foreign citizens cannot get a gambling license in Austria, unlike residents of the country.
As far as betting, so it is regulated and controlled by nine Austrian provinces. Bookmakers are allowed to accept bets on various sports (football, tennis, basketball, hockey, etc.). Moreover, bookmakers have the right to offer players to bet on the results of the Olympic Games, political elections, or any other non-sporting event in some provinces.
Also, the difficulty of obtaining a gambling license in this jurisdiction is that operators must acquire a license for each gambling game separately if they are going to offer different types of gambling activities. Accordingly, the operator must collect and submit a separate list of documents for each gambling game.
Another distinctive feature of operating a gambling business in Austria is that gambling activities are divided into “proper” and “small” games. Proper are games for large sums of money, and small games do not exceed 50 cents.
As for the rates of taxation of the gambling business in Austria, they are quite high, as well as the cost of running a gambling business in general.
It is also worth noting that operators who hold a gambling license from another jurisdiction are allowed to offer gambling services to the Austrians. However, this kind of legalization of the gambling business also has its pitfalls. An operator who has a gambling license from another country is prohibited from advertising its services in Austria. If an operator wants to enter the Austrian gambling market, he must block access to players from other countries. As for the players in Austria, they are not restricted and allowed to play on different gambling sites.
Requirements for acquiring a license for a casino in Austria
- Registering a company in Austria.
- Providing an accurate set of documents.
- Opening a bank account and confirming evidence of the applicant’s solvency.
- Detailed business plan for three months.
- Confirmation of the quality of gambling software.
- A full list of games with detailed descriptions.
- Information about payment systems to be used in the casino.
Conclusions
Except for all the nuances and difficulties of obtaining a gambling license in Austria, this jurisdiction is considered one of the most reliable, and the presence of an Austrian gambling license in a casino gives rise to confidence among players. Therefore, if you choose this jurisdiction to launch your gambling establishment, you will be able to cover all the financial costs and efforts that were spent on getting a gambling license in Austria.
