Today the topic of our article will be a breakdown of the gambling market in Austria. We will consider the best sites that accept players from Austria, as well as touch on our methodology for choosing a good online casino. Of course, we will tell about the history of gambling in this country, as well as learn about their legal status at the moment. Together we will analyze the existing types of bonuses in the casino and the most convenient payment systems. Separately, we will talk about the situation with sports betting, state lotteries and various card games.
Best Online Casinos For Austrian People
Austria’s pretty chill when it comes to online casinos. That’s why there’s a heap of local sites with legit licenses, not to mention a ton of offshore online casinos.
You can totally play at both local and offshore casinos without a hitch. But you gotta know how to spot the diamonds from the duds. We’ll cover that in another section, but for now, feast your eyes on this list of the best Austrian online casinos:
1989 was a game-changer for Austrian gambling. That year, the Gambling Act (GSpG) hit the scene, laying down the law for the gambling market. It’s still kicking today, even with a bunch of tweaks over the years. According to this bad boy, Austria’s got 15 licenses for brick-and-mortar casinos, all doled out by the Finance Ministry. License holders gotta be based in Austria, which makes it tough for foreign bucks to get in but gives local businesses a leg up.
Each of the 9 federal states can hand out up to 3 licenses for slot machine halls. The total number’s set by federal law. A fun twist? There’s a clear line between “casino slot machines” and “provincial hall slot machines.” The former are in the casinos and can have sky-high stakes. The latter? They’re in smaller gaming halls. If there are 10-50 machines in these spots, the max bet is €10, with a top prize of €10,000. Stand-alone machines, like those at gas stations or eateries, have a max bet of €1 and a jackpot of €1,000.
Another big player is the E-Commerce Act. This legalized online gambling and set the rules for licenses. Online platforms quickly scooped up all sorts of gambling fun, from casinos to sports betting and lotteries. Officially, the state’s got a monopoly on all online gambling, run by the state-owned Österreichische Lotterien GmbH. They’re not just hogging most licenses; they’re also running a couple of sites: lotterien.at (all about online lotteries) and win2day.at (online casino, bookies, bingo, poker, you name it).
In real talk, Austria’s market is flooded with offshore online casinos that don’t roll under the local Finance Ministry license but instead are vibing with international crews like MGA, Curacao, and others. Recently, there’s been some buzz in the government about pulling the plug on these operators and blocking their sites. But, for now, it’s all talk and no action.
Legality and regulation of gambling
So, in Austria, almost all forms of gambling are above board. Whether you’re walking into a casino or clicking around online, there are a few rulebooks everyone’s following:
Austrian Gambling Act (GSpG): This is the big kahuna, laying out the game rules, handing out licenses, and marking the state’s turf on most gambling games.
Austrian Civil Code: Austria’s everyday playbook, defining the basics.
E-Commerce Act: The digital world’s guideline, setting the score for online gaming.
Law on Unfair Competition: The dos and don’ts for flashing those gambling ads.
Even with all these, most of the gambling action, from brick-and-mortar and online casinos to sports betting, lotteries, and poker, is under the state’s thumb. But hey, that doesn’t stop Austrian gamblers from having a ball with offshore online casinos, bookies, and poker rooms.
Choosing the best online casinos in Austria
Now, let’s dish on what you should keep your eyes peeled for when hunting for an online casino. First up, you gotta check if they’re licensed and legit and what the word on the street is from real players. Secondly, dive into their bonus game and see what payment options they’re rolling with. Thirdly, how solid is their customer support? And don’t forget to check if their site is phone-friendly.
Legality and Safety
In Austria, the online casino game is tight – only roll with joints that have either an Austrian or an international license. Just a heads up, the Austrian Finance Ministry is the big cheese handing out those licenses. But since the government’s got a monopoly on online casinos, there ain’t a whole lot of local options to throw your chips into. So, maybe look offshore – there are a bunch of casinos operating under international licenses, like MGA and Curacao.
User Feedback
You can tell a lot about a casino by how they treat their players. A quick scroll through player reviews can give you the scoop. For Austrian players, hot spots to check out are testcasino.at and austriawin24.at.
Bonuses & Promotions
By the rulebook, Austrian players have no leash when it comes to bonuses. So they can soak up all the welcome offers and regular goodies. When we rank casinos, we’re all over their bonus game. The sweeter the deal, the higher they climb on our list. We’ll dive deep into all the bonus types later on, so stay tuned!
Payment Systems
Depending on the casino you’re vibing with, there’s a range of payment options. If you’re sketched out about flashing your credit card deets online, dig deeper into a casino’s alternative payment methods. E-wallets, prepaid card services, and cryptos are usually the go-tos.
Customer Service
Any casino worth its salt should have a kickass support team available 24/7. And it’s a big win if they can chat you up not just in English but in German too. It’s all about keeping things smooth between the house and the players.
Mobile Adaptation
Let’s keep it 100 – loads of gamblers nowadays are spinning the wheels on their phones. So, a casino’s mobile compatibility is a huge deal. We always run tests on different devices in our reviews. If a site’s sluggish or just straight up won’t load on mobile, it ain’t making our top list.
Bonuses and promotions for Austrian players
For Austrian players, the sky’s the limit when it comes to bonuses. You get the whole shebang, from welcome bonuses for the newbies to regular perks once that newbie shine wears off. Plus, many Austrian casinos throw in some leaderboard challenges and special tournaments. We’ll break down all these bonuses in detail later on.
Welcome Bonus
You get this bad boy the minute you sign up. Usually, it’s a nice top-up on your deposit with some free spins thrown into the mix. The cherry on top? In Austria’s best online casinos, this bonus often spreads out over your first few deposits.
Regular Player Bonuses
Don’t get all bummed out if you’ve used up your welcome bonus. There’s a whole smorgasbord of goodies waiting for you with the regular bonus program. This includes reload bonuses, some sweet cashback deals, and other unique perks depending on the casino. Like, over at Riobet, regulars can get:
Birthday Bucks – Cash rewards from $10 to $250, depending on your player status.
Monthly Cashback – Once a month, you can score up to 10% cashback.
Coin Convert – Every bet earns you CP-points, which you can trade in for real dough.
Deposit Bonus – Get a weekly top-up of up to 100% on your deposit.
Races and Tournaments
Races and tournaments will be a great way to diversify your gaming activities. You need to register in a tournament, then play slots from the presented list, performing the necessary actions. For each completed action you get tournament points. The more points, the higher the place, and therefore the reward. At the moment, the following tournaments are available at Fairspin Casino:
Summer Splash – a tournament from provider Yggdrasil with a total prize pool of €50,000
Millionaire’s Fortune – a tournament from Fairspin in which you earn TFS tokens, in addition to the tokens themselves, players have access to a prize pool of $30,000.
Sports betting in Austria
In the big picture, sports betting is on the up-and-up in Austria. However, each federal state’s got its own playbook, governing the game. Each state’s also got its own watchdog, handing out licenses and keeping tabs on the hustle. As a result, you’ve got a buffet of diverse bookies on the market. Some are homegrown, like win2day or Admiral, while others are repping international flags: Parimatch, Melbet, Vbet, 20bet, 365bet.
Austrians are considered quite the thrill-seekers, and that’s why sports betting’s been a thing in this land for a hot minute. But that kind of hype doesn’t just happen overnight – it’s fueled by the sports fever itself. And no joke, Austria’s the crib for many heavy-hitting athletes. But you know, sports ain’t just for the pros here – regular folks are all about that amateur action too. That’s why we’ve lined up the top 5 most popular sports in Austria.
Skiing – This ain’t just sport, it’s a lifestyle. Downhill skiing is practically Austria’s national pastime, and they’re teaching it in schools. With winter sports being a hit here, skiing reigns supreme. It’s not just a physical pastime – it’s a whole philosophy Austrians start soaking up back in their school days.
Winter Sports – Beyond skiing, there’s a whole bouquet of winter sports in Austria. Think ski jumping, sledging, figure skating, bobsledding, and more. Austria’s got major street cred on the international scene in all these disciplines.
Hockey – Like in many European countries, ice hockey’s a hit in Austria too. They’ve got their own ICE Hockey League, with 11 teams from across the country. KAC, repping Klagenfurt, is the superstar team in this league.
Football (Soccer) – Speaking of summer sports, it’s no surprise that football’s top of the pops. Even though the Austrian national team’s been MIA from the World Cup since ’98, local matches are a big deal. The country’s got its own Bundesliga, rocking 12 teams.
Motorsport – With the legendary “Austrian Grand Prix” Formula 1 track, Austria’s a petrolhead’s paradise. And don’t forget, it’s where the legendary Niki Lauda hailed from. Tickets for the Austrian Grand Prix? Sell like hotcakes, snatched up by both locals and foreign fans.
Convenient payment systems
Austria’s got a thing for e-commerce services, which means Austrians are online shopping champs. Depositing into an online casino or bookie? It’s kinda like an “online shopping spree” of sorts. You can top up your account with a good ol’ bank card, no restrictions here, or you can dabble in various e-wallets and related services. And let’s dig into the most popular payment systems right now:
VISA/MasterCard
Slappin’ down a credit or debit card, whether it’s MasterCard, Visa, or Diners Club, is the bread-and-butter way to juice up your online casino account. Easy peasy – just punch in your card number and CV2 code, and within a few minutes, you’re cashed up. The only sour note? You’re dishin’ out them bank deets.
EPS
This here’s a fancy payment method, a hit in Austria. You pick your bank from the roster, then get whisked away to their site. Confirm your transaction with an electronic signature or a one-time password, and boom, you’re good to go.
Prepaid Card Services
With these bad boys, you get yourself an e-card loaded up with a fixed amount. Great way to keep a lid on your gambling expenses, plus it’s a quick and easy way to top up. Over in Austria, folks are vibing with PaySafeCard and NeoSurf.
E-Wallets
This one ain’t the belle of the ball in Austrian casinos, but it’s still got a fan club. It lets you keep your confidential digits in check and separates your gambling moolah from the main stash. Prob’ly the star of the e-wallet show? Most likely, it’s PayPal.
Cryptocurrencies
This deposit method’s been blowin’ up big time. Easy as pie to buy and send crypto. Once you’ve loaded up your casino account, you’re in the game within 5 minutes, and you’re not droppin’ a dime on commissions.
NOTIFY At the mo’, cryptocurrencies ain’t got a rulebook all to themselves. But recently, the powers-that-be pegged ’em as “digital assets,” putting ’em on par with stocks. It’s a smart move, showing some love to the crypto market. Thing is, investors now gotta cough up taxes on their profits, just like they would with stocks.
So, feel free to shout from the rooftops that crypto buyin’ and tradin’ is A-OK in Austria. That means, you’re greenlit to use ’em as a deposit method for online casinos and bookies.
Popular gambling providers in Austria
Austrians are ahead of the curve in heaps of areas, and their taste in online slots is no different. They’ve got a penchant for the market’s top dogs, those who’ve nailed the player vibe and serve it up in their games. But let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest players in the game. Here’s the lowdown, presented in listicle fashion.
Pragmatic Play
Just a decade back, this provider was a no-show. But today, they’re sittin’ pretty in the top five global developers. How’d they pull it off? By sizing up player needs and delivering the goods. Killer graphics, captivating mechanics, and some serious win potential put ’em on the pinnacle of fame.
Play’N’Go
Unlike our previous contender, this Swedish outfit’s been in the game for over two decades. They’ve cooked up some key products that players worldwide dig. Result? Their popularity skyrocketed, no waiting around. Austrian players especially dig their branded slots, collabs with big names.
Evolution Gaming
The heavyweight of live games, puttin’ together a whole conglomerate with other big shots. A serious rival’s a tough find for this company when it comes to crafting games with live dealers. They’re packin’ not just table and card games, but special game shows, riffin’ off famous slots or TV shows.
Spinomenal
This one’s a hustler, cranking out over 350 slots in less than 10 years. Smooth and slick animations that won’t bog down even the feeblest gadgets? That’s the secret sauce behind this dev’s success.
NetEnt
Another old-timer from Sweden, they’ve amassed their own fanbase. Can’t hunt down a casino game they ain’t got in their arsenal. And they’ve got licenses aplenty, which means their slots are within arm’s reach practically worldwide.
Land-based casinos in Austria
In Austria, casinos have been kickin’ it since the 1930s. You got a mix of smaller joints and major casinos, each dishing out practically every kind of gambling thrill, from slot machines to various table and card games, even the “exotic” ones. Let’s shine a spotlight on some of the big shots in Austria’s casino scene.
Casino Baden – Austria’s oldest casino, doors opened in 1934. Nestled in the town of Baden, it was Europe’s heavyweight champ back in the day. It’s lost that title now, but not its timeless charm. So, for players yearning for a throwback, this joint’s a must-visit. And their game arsenal? It’s legit. Over 140 slot machines, about 15 tables for table and card games (American and French roulette, blackjack, and poker).
Worth notin’ – it’s part of a network of 12 Austrian casinos managed by Casinos Austria AG. For the high rollers, there’s VIP treatment on the table – unique perks, up for grabs by joining their VIP program. That means getting in on high-stakes games, a personal manager, and exclusive deals, among other goodies.
Casino Bregenz – Austria’s grandest casino, unveiled in ’75. Nestled in Bregenz, this joint boasts almost double the gaming arsenal of the previous spot. Over 300 slot machines and around 21 tables for various table and card games, including 7 American roulettes, 1 French roulette, 2 poker tables, and 11 blackjack tables.
The casino building itself rocks a modern vibe. Beyond the gaming halls, you’ve got the BREGENZ FALSTAFF restaurant and a special room where diverse performances regularly light up the stage. Plus, it’s part of the Casinos Austria network, so all the shared perks apply, including special deals for culinary tourists.
Lotteries and other gambling entertainment in Austria
Lotteries are legit in the gambling scene. Right now, the hotshots are the lotteries run by Österreichische Lotterien Gesellschaft m.b.H (Austrian Lotteries). Founded back in ’86, this company kicked off with the “6 out of 45” lottery. In no time, they nabbed the top spot and set up over 5K outlets across the country. They’re pulling in over 3 billion euros annually. These lotteries are also available online on the official site, lotterien.at. Let’s dive into the most popular format of lottery and some extra draws:
LOTTO 6 OUT OF 45 – The oldest and hottest lottery type in Austria. Draws happen twice a week on Austrian TV (ORF), every Wednesday and Sunday. A ticket costs 1.2 EUR. After snagging your ticket, you pick 6 numbers from 1 to 45. For an extra 0.5 EUR, you can dive into Lotto Plus, with a jackpot of up to €250K. The Lotto Plus draw goes down right after the main one.
In addition to Lotto Plus, by dropping €1.5, you can enter the Joker lottery. Its draw happens after both the main draw and Lotto Plus. You gotta choose 6 numbers from 0 to 9. Nail all 6, and you’re walkin’ away with a six-digit jackpot. The main lottery’s minimum jackpot is €1 million. And this jackpot’s a progressive one, no maximum limit. So, if no one wins, it rolls over to the next draw. Here are the mammoth jackpots:
€14.9 million – Draw from November ’18
€9.6 million – Awarded in December ’15
€9.4 million – Bagged in October ’12
All in all, the lottery boasts 8 prize categories.
Prize category
Number of matches
Chance of fallout
1
6
1 : 8 145 060
2
5 + bonus ball
1 : 1 357 510
3
5
1 : 34 808
4
4 + bonus ball
1 : 14 290
5
4
1 : 733
6
3 + bonus ball
1 : 579
7
3
1 : 45
8
2 + bonus ball
1 : 16
Poker is another hotshot in the Austrian gambling scene. You can get your live game on not only at one of Austria’s casinos but also at a slew of local poker clubs, some of which rank among Europe’s biggest. Take Poker Royale Card Casino, for instance, packing in around 600 poker enthusiasts who can cozy up at over 60 tables.
Online poker lovers won’t be left out either. With all the major poker rooms in action, like PokerStars, GGPoker, PartyPoker, 888poker, and more, the virtual felt is buzzing. Online play is totally legit too, so you won’t be fretting over deposit dilemmas.
Reliability and safety of online casinos in Austria
Now, when we talk safety in Austria’s online casinos, here’s the scoop. Austria has a mix of local online casinos, rocking a license from the Ministry of Finance, and a hefty batch of offshore joints. If you hit a snag at a local spot, you can shoot straight to the Ministry of Finance, and they’ll tackle your trouble head-on.
For those riding the offshore wave with online casinos, it’s crucial to sniff out the gambling license they’re rolling with. Then, hit up the proper commission, either through a nifty form on their website or a quick email.
Conclusion
Closing the curtains, Austria stands tall as a Euro gem. While most EU nations give gambling the cold shoulder, either outright banning it or slapping some hefty restrictions, Austrian authorities have long raised the stakes for full-on gambling legality. They’ve snagged the title of Europe’s gambling capital and raked in millions of euros for the budget. Bottom line: while in Austria, you can roll the dice in any gambling game, both offline and online. It’s a royal flush for gamblers!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are online casinos legal in Austria?
Yes, online casinos are completely legal. Local sites are licensed by the Ministry of Finance, while foreign online casinos operate under the licenses of international commissions.
Can I play poker in Austria?
In Austria you can play both offline poker, in one of the casinos or special poker clubs, and online. For the second option, the major poker rooms such as PokerStars, GGpoker, PartyPoker, and others are suitable.
Is sports betting legal in Austria?
Betting on sports is completely legal in Austria. Both in land-based and online formats. But it is worth remembering that the regulation lies with the local authorities of the provinces, as a consequence, the laws may differ slightly.
Are there lotteries in Austria?
In Austria there are both local national lotteries, organized by Österreichische Lotterien Gesellschaft m.b.H, and European lotteries.
Is cryptocurrency legal in Austria?
According to recent regulations, cryptocurrency is equated to an investment asset (e.g. a share), so you are free to buy and sell it.
23.01.2022 | Date updated: 17 July 2024
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