International gambling operator Allwyn AG has recently urged Austria’s Finance Ministry to reconsider its proposed timeline for ending the country’s online gambling monopoly. The company warns that regulators may not have enough time to establish the necessary supervisory infrastructure before the market kicks off operations.
According to the draft Federal Act, the new gambling framework should go into effect on 1 January 1, 2027. However, the first licensed brands will have to wait to start business in the newly regulated market until October 1, 2027.
But at the same time, the legislation is currently under review by the European Commission under the EU’s Technical Regulation Information System procedure. This process consists of a three-month standstill period during which the Commission can issue comments or recommend revisions.
As a result, Allwyn has sent a letter to the EC, in which it shares its concerns about the implementation schedule, particularly the time required to establish regulatory oversight and cross-operator player protection systems.
Allwyn Questions Readiness of Regulatory Infrastructure
One of the main concerns underlined in Allwyn’s letter is the proposed development of a new gambling supervisory authority to replace Finanzamt Österreich, which is currently the country’s tax agency responsible for online gambling supervision.
The gambling operator argues that the draft legislation provides insufficient detail about when the new independent authority will be established, what resources it will have to work with and how regulatory responsibilities will be transferred.
According to Allwyn, the provided documents do not clarify the organisational and technical arrangements needed to make the transition effective. It also questioned whether the necessary consumer protection infrastructure can be operational within the nine months between the legislation taking effect and the launch of the market.
The proposed framework is scheduled to include a central exclusions register, a cross-operator deposit limit register, a safe server, blacklist and whitelist procedures, payment blocking mechanisms and internet service provider blocking measures.
It will also enable coordination between the new supervisory authority, the Anti-Fraud Office and the Telekom Control Commission.
However, Allwyn is doubtful and argues that these systems require considerable technical resources, planning and cooperation between different authorities and gambling operators.
Drawing on its international operating experience, the company described the proposed implementation schedule as ‘extremely tight’, and noted that the time typically required to establish fully functional player protection systems.
Its letter also points out that the draft legislation does not mention binding or indicative deadlines for completing individual implementation milestones.
OVWG Remains Confident in Scheduled Launch
However, the Austrian Association for Betting and Gambling (OVWG) disagrees with Allwyn’s recent statement and believes the proposed market opening remains achievable.
In an interview, Secretary General Thomas Forstner commented that the organisation is ‘convinced that the planned market opening on October 1, 2027 is realistic and that the current timetable will be maintained.’
Forstner argued that Austria can draw on existing regulatory models and consumer protection systems from other European markets rather than developing everything independently.
“Many European countries already have functioning systems that Austria can learn from,” he explained.
The trade body also believes that Finanzamt Österreich can continue overseeing the sector until the new independent supervisory authority is established. Forstner insists that the tax office already has experienced personnel with the necessary knowledge of gambling-related matters.
The OVWG has supported reforming Austria's gambling framework for several years, viewing the proposed legislation as an important step towards opening the online market to an unlimited number of concessionaires.
The association previously backed research by Professor Friedrich Schneider of Johannes Kepler University Linz, which questioned whether the existing monopoly was proportionate and compatible with market conditions.
Allwyn Supports Reform but Has Commercial Interests
At the moment, Austria’s online gambling monopoly is held by Casinos Austria and Österreichische Lotterien. Both companies will likely face serious competition if the government proceeds with its proposed licensing model.
Allwyn has stakes in both operations, and therefore, it has commercial interests in the outcome of the reform. Still, the company has reiterated its support for the broader objectives of the market liberalisation.
These include strengthening player protection, combating illegal gambling, directing demand towards licensed operators and improving regulatory oversight of the digital gambling market.
Nevertheless, the OVWG has described the proposed reform as a major achievement and a significant success for the country after years of advocacy for a more open licensing framework.
However, Forstner acknowledged that some details of the legislation remain under discussion, with the association continuing to participate in the process. He added that the industry's priority should now be ensuring the new licensing framework succeeds and makes Austria an attractive and competitive market for European operators.
For now, the proposed October 1, 2027 launch remains the target, but the European Commission’s review and any subsequent changes to the draft legislation could influence the final implementation schedule.
