Allwyn Warns Austria’s Online Gambling Reform Timeline Is Too Tight
Austria – 11 November 2026 – www.zonadeazar.com Allwyn AG has urged the European Commission to assess the feasibility of Austria’s proposed timetable for liberalising its online gambling market, warning that the deadlines for implementing new supervisory and player protection systems are extremely tight.
The company believes that the approximately nine months between 1 January and 1 October 2027 may be insufficient to develop, test and implement the regulatory infrastructure required for the new market.
The request was submitted on 27 October 2026 as part of the European review procedure concerning Austria’s gambling reform.
Austria Plans to End Its Online Gambling Monopoly
Austria’s Ministry of Finance submitted its draft gambling legislation to the European Commission on 4 August.
The proposal aims to replace the existing online gambling monopoly with an open concession system, allowing multiple authorised operators to enter the market.
It also establishes a total of 13 concessions for land-based casinos.
Under the proposed timetable, new online gambling licences could be granted from 1 January 2027, although they would only become effective on 1 October of the same year.
Allwyn Questions the Implementation Schedule
In a 14-page submission, Allwyn argued that the nine-month implementation period may be too short to complete the necessary technical, administrative and regulatory preparations.
The required systems include:
- A centralised player exclusion register.
- A deposit limit register.
- A secure server for regulatory supervision.
- Blacklists of unauthorised operators.
- Website and payment blocking mechanisms.
- Technical interfaces connecting operators and regulatory authorities.
The company warned that procuring these systems would probably require EU-wide tender procedures, which could take several months.
Concerns Over the Absence of an Independent Regulator
Another major concern raised by Allwyn is the absence of an independent gambling supervisory authority.
Although the government’s programme includes plans to establish such a body, no definitive political agreement has been reached regarding its creation.
In the meantime, regulatory responsibilities would remain with Finanzamt Österreich, Austria’s federal tax authority.
Allwyn also highlighted that the reform’s impact assessment does not allocate specific public expenditure to developing the necessary technological infrastructure.
According to the company, these circumstances create uncertainty about the authorities’ ability to provide effective supervision from the opening of the new market.
Regulatory Lessons From Other European Markets
To support its position, Allwyn cited examples of European jurisdictions that experienced difficulties implementing gambling supervision systems.
In the Czech Republic, the player exclusion register only became operational several years after the introduction of legislation in 2017.
Slovakia allowed approximately two years to develop its infrastructure, while Romanian operators reportedly exchanged player exclusion information through Excel files for around six months.
Allwyn also highlighted Finland’s decision to postpone its market opening by six months until 1 July 2027.
The company believes these experiences demonstrate the importance of establishing realistic implementation deadlines and ensuring player protection mechanisms are operational before new operators enter the market.
European Commission Extends Review Period
The European notification procedure, registered as TRIS 2026/0415/AT, has also experienced changes to its timetable.
The original review period was scheduled to conclude on 5 November 2026.
However, a detailed opinion submitted by Malta triggered an extension of the standstill period until 7 December 2026.
The European Commission also issued comments on the proposal, although the contents of these communications are not publicly available in the relevant register.
Austria must wait until the procedure concludes before proceeding with the final adoption of the legislation.
Allwyn Proposes Additional Conditions for Market Opening
Allwyn clarified that it supports the overall objectives of the reform and does not oppose a controlled opening of Austria’s online gambling market in principle.
However, the company believes that new concessions should only become effective once the necessary supervisory systems are fully operational.
Its recommendations include establishing a binding implementation schedule, defining minimum operational requirements for regulatory authorities and conducting technical trials before market launch.
If these systems are not ready, Allwyn proposes postponing the activation of the first online gambling concessions.
Commercial Interests and Industry Positions
Allwyn holds stakes in Casinos Austria AG and Österreichische Lotterien GmbH, the companies currently holding Austria’s monopoly-related concessions.
Its position therefore comes amid a regulatory transformation that could also reshape the competitive environment surrounding its existing investments.
Meanwhile, the Austrian Association for Betting and Gambling (OVWG) believes the proposed October 2027 market opening remains achievable.
Its Secretary General, Thomas Forstner, argued that Austria can draw on the experience of other European jurisdictions and that the federal tax authority has experienced personnel capable of overseeing the sector during the transition.
Next Steps and Industry Impact
Once the European review period concludes on 7 December 2026, Austria’s Parliament will be able to proceed with the adoption of the new legislation.
The Ministry of Finance expects approximately 20 companies to compete for the first online gambling licences.
The reform would represent a historic transformation of Austria’s gambling market, replacing its monopoly structure with a system allowing multiple authorised operators.
However, the debate surrounding implementation deadlines highlights the importance of balancing commercial market access with effective regulatory oversight, consumer protection and the operational readiness of supervisory infrastructure.
Editó: @fonta
