Malta's detailed opinion delays EU clearance of Austria's online gambling reform to 7 December
A detailed opinion from Malta extended the EU notification period for Austria's gambling act amendments to 7 December. Stakeholders still expect parliament to pass the reform before Christmas, ahead of a 1 January 2027 start.
GamblingSource: iGaming Business
Austria's plan to end its online gambling monopoly has been held up at EU level after the Maltese government stepped in. The amendments to the gambling act had been expected to complete the EU notification period on Thursday, 5 November. On Wednesday morning, however, Malta submitted a detailed opinion, which automatically extended the standstill period to 7 December.
The postponement leaves the Austrian government with less room to pass the legislation before it is due to take effect next year. Market participants nonetheless do not expect major changes to the parliamentary timetable. Arthur Stadler, a Vienna-based gaming lawyer at Stadler Partner, told iGB that the timeline is basically unchanged, with passage of the amendments still anticipated before Christmas 2026. He cautioned, though, that operators considering an application for one of the new iGaming licences will face a much shorter window between ratification and entry into force on 1 January 2027.
The Austrian Association of Betting and Gaming (OVWG) said it had foreseen a detailed opinion from Malta. Its president, Simon Priglinger-Simader, said the association shares concerns about certain provisions of the current draft and remains in dialogue with policymakers and authorities. He said its priority is a competitive, well-functioning online market under the coming open licensing system.
At present, Austria's only online casino and lottery licence belongs to Win2Day, a subsidiary of Austrian Lotteries. Many other brands serve the market under licences issued elsewhere in the EU, Malta among them. Under the new act, these cross-border operators must observe a nine-month cooling-off period to qualify for an Austrian licence. That requires them to switch off online casino services for Austrian customers by 31 December this year, or else face an extended 18-month blackout. They must also settle player claims and backdated taxes.
Austrian public affairs consultant Felix Geyer questioned the strategic value of Malta's move for grey market operators. He noted that it will not hold up the legislative process, since parliamentary handling was planned for 9 to 11 December in any case. He suggested the regulator may view the step as spiteful, and wondered whether it was wise for Malta-based operators to irritate their new regulator with a first formal action.
Based on reporting by iGaming Business.