Austria has taken a major procedural step in its effort to reshape the country’s gambling sector after submitting a draft overhaul of its gambling legislation to the European Commission for assessment. For more than a decade, the model has faced criticism and legal challenges from European operators that argue the monopoly system conflicts with EU principles. Previous disputes reached the European Court of Justice, while the European Commission had previously encouraged Austrian governments to modernize legislation governing online gambling. Online Gambling Market Set for Major ChangeA central feature of the draft legislation is the planned transition from the existing monopoly arrangement to an open licensing system for online gambling operators. The register would combine self-exclusions and operator-imposed restrictions across online gambling, casinos and slot machine venues, creating a unified system for the first time.