Online Casinos in Austria

🗝️ Key Takeaways

• Austria currently operates a state monopoly on online gambling. Win2day, owned by Österreichische Lotterien, is the only domestically licensed online casino platform in the country.
• Your gambling winnings are tax-free. Non-professional players are not required to pay income tax on winnings from games of chance in Austria, regardless of the amount or where you play.
• A draft law to open the market to multiple private operators is advancing through Parliament, with both the ÖVP and SPÖ supporting the reform. The new framework could take effect by summer 2026, ahead of the current monopoly licence expiring on 30 September 2027.
• Despite the legal monopoly, internationally licensed operators account for an estimated 70% of the Austrian online gambling market, with Win2day holding only around 30%.
• Austrian courts have allowed players to reclaim losses from foreign operators who offered services without a domestic licence, creating one of the most significant player refund litigation waves in Europe. CJEU cases C-77/24 (Wunner) and C-198/24 remain pending.
• Operator GGR tax rates were raised across the board in 2025, with online gambling now taxed at 40-45% of gross gaming revenue, among the highest rates in Europe.

Austria's online casino market sits in a unique position. The law says one operator holds a monopoly.

The reality is that the vast majority of Austrian players already use internationally licensed casinos, and the government is preparing to formalise that reality through a complete regulatory overhaul. This page covers how the Austrian market currently works, the reform that is reshaping it, which internationally licensed casinos accept Austrian players, payment methods, taxation, and the legal developments that set Austria apart from every other market we cover.

🏛️ How Austria's Market Works

The Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) oversees all games of chance under the Gaming Act (Glücksspielgesetz, GSpG). Austria operates a federal monopoly: Österreichische Lotterien holds the sole lottery licence covering lotteries, online games of chance, and video lottery terminals, all accessible through win2day.at.

A structural conflict of interest sits at the heart of this system. The BMF both regulates gambling and holds a 33.3% stake in Casinos Austria via the state holding company ÖBAG.

The upcoming reform aims to eliminate this by establishing an independent regulatory authority for the first time.

🔄 The Reform

Austria is preparing one of the most significant regulatory shifts in European gambling. The coalition government has agreed on a draft law to replace the monopoly with a competitive licensing system.

The current Win2day licence expires on 30 September 2027, and the tender process for new licences is already underway as of 2026. Key elements under discussion include whether the number of licences will be capped or unlimited, the introduction of a centralised self-exclusion register covering all licensed operators, and enforcement tools including payment blocking through banks and DNS-level domain blocking of unlicensed sites.

If the reform passes as expected, Austria would join Denmark, Sweden, and Finland in transitioning from a monopoly to an open licensing model. Until then, internationally licensed casinos remain the primary option for Austrian players.

🎮 Games and Providers

Win2day offers a limited catalogue of slots, table games, poker, bingo, and lottery products. The platform lacks the depth that Austrian players find at internationally licensed casinos, particularly in live dealer content and newer game formats like crash games.

At the casinos we list, the game provider selection covers the full spectrum. Stupid Casino carries a strong roulette and blackjack lineup alongside titles from Pragmatic Play and Play'n GO, while Wolfy Casino features an extensive slot library with providers including Relax Gaming, Hacksaw Gaming, and Push Gaming.

Austrian players should pay attention to RTP and volatility when choosing slots. Higher RTP titles return more to players over time, while volatility determines how frequently and in what size payouts land.

Both metrics are displayed on every game page here on VistaGamble, where you can try most titles in demo mode before playing for real money.

🎁 Bonuses and Promotions

Win2day's promotional offerings are minimal, reflecting the constraints of a state-run monopoly platform. Internationally licensed casinos provide a significantly broader range of offers.

Kryptosino pairs welcome bonuses with crypto deposit matches for new players, Spinbetter structures its package across multiple deposits with free spins bundled into each tier, and Horus Casino runs reload bonuses alongside weekly cashback promotions.

Before accepting any offer, review the wagering requirements attached. A 30x playthrough on a €100 bonus means you must wager €3,000 before withdrawing any winnings derived from that bonus.

The multiplier, game weighting, and maximum bet while a bonus is active all vary between casinos and directly affect the real value of any promotion.

💳 Payment Methods

Austrian players have access to several locally preferred payment methods that work seamlessly with internationally licensed casinos. EPS (Electronic Payment Standard) is Austria's domestic online bank transfer system that connects directly to your Austrian bank account for instant deposits.

Paysafecard, originally founded in Vienna, remains one of the most popular prepaid voucher options for Austrian players who prefer not to share banking details online. Beyond these, the casinos we list accept Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, bank transfers, and cryptocurrency.

Casino Stars supports a wide range of fiat and crypto options, while Hit'n'Spin processes withdrawals through multiple e-wallet channels. At Win2day, payment options are limited to Austrian bank transfers, credit cards, and Paysafecard.

Crypto is not available on the domestic platform.

🪪 KYC and Player Protection

Win2day requires every player to use its built-in responsible gambling tool called Mentor, which tracks your activity and enforces a daily play-time limit and a weekly top-up limit that you must set before your first session. Self-exclusion through the platform takes effect no later than the next business day and lasts a minimum of six months.

At the internationally licensed casinos we list, identity verification is completed through photo ID and proof of address before your first withdrawal. Deposit limits, session time controls, and self-exclusion options are available across every casino we recommend, allowing you to manage your play on your own terms.

⚖️ Player Refund Lawsuits

Austria's most distinctive legal development has no equivalent in any of the markets we cover. Austrian courts have consistently ruled that players can reclaim their losses from foreign operators who targeted Austria without holding a domestic licence, on the basis that such operators violated the gambling monopoly.

Thousands of claims have been filed, with some players recovering significant sums. Two cases are now before the CJEU: Wunner (C-77/24), which examines whether operator directors can be held personally liable, and C-198/24, which concerns the justification of provisional bank account seizures under EU law.

These rulings have created substantial financial pressure on international operators serving the Austrian market and are one of the driving forces behind the push for regulatory reform. Once the new licensing framework is in place, this legal basis for claims is expected to narrow significantly.

💰 Tax on Winnings

Austria taxes the operator, not the player. Non-professional players are not required to pay income tax on winnings from games of chance, regardless of the amount won.

On the operator side, GGR tax rates were increased in 2025. Online gambling now carries a rate of 40 to 45% of gross gaming revenue, lottery products are taxed at 2 to 27.5% on stakes, and the government forecasts additional tax revenues of €50 million in 2025, rising to €150 million by 2027.

Unlike Spain, where your net gambling profits are taxed at progressive rates on your annual return, or France, where social levies apply to certain winnings, Austria keeps your payouts entirely clean. This applies whether you play at Win2day or at any of the internationally licensed casinos we list.

🌟 VistaGamble's Honest Assessment

Austria's market is at a crossroads. The monopoly model has clearly failed to capture the majority of players, and reform is no longer a question of if but when.

➕ The Positives

• Tax-Free Winnings: Your payouts are not subject to income tax, placing Austria among the most player-friendly jurisdictions in Europe in terms of taxation.
• Reform Is Imminent: The transition from monopoly to multi-licence system will bring regulated competition, better player protections, and a more transparent licensing process.
• International Casinos Already Serve the Market: With 70% of activity flowing through internationally licensed platforms, Austrian players already have access to the full range of games, bonuses, and payment options.
• Player Refund Rights: The court-established ability to reclaim losses from unlicensed operators provides a legal safety net that exists in no other European market.

➖ The Negatives

• Win2day's Limited Offering: The sole licensed platform offers a fraction of the game variety, promotional value, and payment flexibility available at internationally licensed casinos.
• Regulatory Conflict of Interest: The Ministry of Finance simultaneously regulates gambling and holds a financial stake in the monopoly operator, undermining public trust in enforcement.
• Reform Timeline Uncertain: While the draft law is advancing, political delays have stalled Austrian gambling reform before, and the final shape of the licensing framework remains undecided.
• Highest Operator GGR Tax in Europe: The 40-45% rate could be passed through to players via tighter odds and lower RTPs at future domestically licensed platforms.

🔒 Conclusion

Austria is transitioning from one of Europe's last gambling monopolies to what could become a fully competitive licensing system. Until that reform takes effect, internationally licensed casinos remain the primary way Austrian players access the full range of slots, live casino, sports betting, and promotional offers that Win2day does not provide.

The casinos we list accept Austrian players with crypto payments, extensive game catalogues, and welcome bonuses that the domestic monopoly cannot match. Explore our full list of recommended casinos above in this review to see all operators accepting players from Austria.

Frequently Asked Questions❓

Is online gambling legal in Austria?

Yes, but under a state monopoly. Win2day is the only domestically licensed online casino. A new law to open the market to multiple operators is expected by summer 2026.

Are my gambling winnings taxed in Austria?

No, non-professional players do not pay income tax on winnings from games of chance. The operator carries the full tax burden.

What is Win2day?

The sole licensed online gambling platform in Austria, operated by Österreichische Lotterien. It offers slots, table games, poker, bingo, and lottery products, but lacks the variety of internationally licensed alternatives.

Can I reclaim losses from unlicensed operators in Austria?

Austrian courts have allowed players to file claims for loss recovery against foreign operators who served the Austrian market without a domestic licence. CJEU cases on related procedural questions remain pending.

What payment methods work at Austrian online casinos?

EPS and Paysafecard are the most popular local options. Internationally licensed casinos also accept Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, bank transfers, and cryptocurrency.

When will Austria's gambling monopoly end?

The current Win2day licence expires on 30 September 2027. A draft law for a new competitive licensing framework is expected to take effect by summer 2026, ahead of that expiry.