Austria’s three ruling parties have agreed on a hard-set deadline to end the long-lasting reign of the monopoly regime.

Reported by local media outlet Krone, which cited sources close to the matter, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Liberal Conservatives (NEOS) will target October 2027 as the launch date for the much anticipated licensed market – essentially ending the Casinos Austria monopoly across both land-based and online (Win2Day).

However, as with any regulated gambling jurisdiction, candidate licensees will be subjected to strict rules if they want to enter the market.

For one, the relevant operator will be diligently assessed whether it has offered services to Austrian players at any time within 18 months prior to the market’s launch date – or since April of this year. This “cooling phase” will be increased to two years starting 2030.

Companies will also need to have settled any outstanding player-related litigations.

Players will also face certain responsible gambling mechanisms. Maximum weekly deposit limits will be set at €1,680 for those aged over 26, while players under 26 will only have €250 to deposit weekly.

Individual online stake limits, according to Krone, must not exceed €5 – a notable shift from the previous draft’s plans to put maximum stakes down to €2 from €10. 

Furthermore, total winnings paid out at once must not be more than €10,000, essentially retaining what is currently allowed by law and overhauling the initial draft’s proposal to bring payout limits down to €2,000.

If the draft bill is enforced, it remains to be seen how exactly the maximum €10,000 payouts will be incorporated into online gaming, as Krone added that jackpot features will be allowed under the new regime.

There are also plans for a total of 13 licensed land-based casinos, breaking up Casinos Austria’s hold on the brick-and-mortar sector. Meanwhile, Win2Day will retain full monopoly over Austria’s lottery.

Questions remain around the feasibility of the market launch, however, with critics warning to steer clear of the German model where they argue strict limits, high taxes and burdensome player restrictions have damaged channelisation.