Is online gambling legal in Austria?

Only partly. The Glücksspielgesetz reserves online casino games for a single concession, currently held by Österreichische Lotterien (win2day). Offshore operators licensed elsewhere in the EU serve Austrian players in practice, and playing is not an offence for the player.

Can Austrian players reclaim losses from unlicensed casinos?

Frequently, yes — and this is unusual. Austrian courts have repeatedly ordered operators without an Austrian concession to refund player losses, on the basis that the underlying contract is void. Several specialist firms handle these claims.

Are gambling winnings taxed in Austria?

No. Winnings are not treated as taxable income for the player; the licensed operator pays gambling tax on its gross revenue instead.

What age and currency apply at Austrian casinos?

You must be at least 18, and Austrian-facing casinos take deposits in Euros (EUR). Austria has no national self-exclusion register today — a central register is part of the proposed reform — so exclusion has to be set up with each operator individually.

Best Online Casinos in Austria

Austria licenses just one online casino — win2day, run under the state concession — while a 2026 draft reform would open the market to competing licensees from October 2027. The operators below accept players from Austria.

⚖Partially regulated🛡Gambling is legal🪙EUR (€)

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Market at a glance

Model: Federal monopoly — a single online casino concession
Legal basis: Glücksspielgesetz (GSpG)
Domestic licensee: Casinos Austria / win2day
EU operators: Serve Austrian players from other member states
Notable case law: Courts have ordered unlicensed operators to refund player losses
Tax on player winnings: None for the player
Minimum age: 18 (21 in some provinces for land-based)
Currency: EUR (€)

5 casinos

1

LeoVegas⚖ UKGC

Award-winning, mobile-first casino with thousands of games, a strong live-casino offering and a long regulated track record.

91Safety

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Betway Casino⚖ UKGC

The casino arm of the major Betway brand — a large, established operator combining casino, live casino and sports.

90Safety

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3

20Bet⚖ Curacao GCB

A combined casino and sportsbook with crypto support and broad market reach — a newer brand, so play with care.

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Bizzo Casino⚖ Curacao GCB

A modern, gamified and crypto-friendly casino with a large game library — a newer brand, so play with care.

80Safety

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5

Casombie⚖ Curacao GCB

A modern, crypto-friendly casino with a huge game library and a playful adventure theme — newer, so play with extra care.

80Safety

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The refund case law is what makes Austria unusual

Austrian courts have repeatedly held that gambling contracts with operators lacking an Austrian concession are void, and have ordered those operators to repay players' net losses. Large numbers of such claims have succeeded, and a specialist litigation-funding industry has grown up around them.

This cuts against the usual assumption that playing at an unlicensed site leaves you with no recourse. In Austria, the operator's lack of a licence is the player's cause of action.

It is not a strategy. Claims take years, outcomes are not guaranteed, and the legal position has been contested at European level. But it does mean the licensing question here carries direct financial consequences it lacks elsewhere.

One concession, and a large market outside it

Austria grants a single online casino concession, held by the state-linked Casinos Austria group and operated as win2day. Everything else serving Austrian players does so from another EU member state, most often Malta.

Whether so tight a monopoly is compatible with EU freedom of services has been litigated repeatedly at both national and European level. The practical position for a player has nonetheless been stable: the monopoly stands, and the parallel market persists.

Provincial rules add a further layer for land-based play, including a higher minimum age in some provinces. Online, the federal position governs.

Protections and what to check

win2day applies Austrian player-protection requirements including identity verification and self-exclusion. No national register extends those protections to operators outside the concession.

For operators licensed elsewhere in the EU, the protections are whatever their own regulator imposes — the Malta Gaming Authority's regime is substantive, a Curaçao licence far less so.

Winnings are not taxed in the player's hands. Given the litigation background, keeping records of deposits and withdrawals is more useful in Austria than in most markets. Confirm the current legal position with a qualified Austrian source rather than an affiliate page.

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Austria: Frequently Asked Questions

Only partly. The Glücksspielgesetz reserves online casino games for a single concession, currently held by Österreichische Lotterien (win2day). Offshore operators licensed elsewhere in the EU serve Austrian players in practice, and playing is not an offence for the player.

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Gamble responsibly

Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money. 18+ only. If it stops being fun, take a break or seek help.

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