Why Austrians Prefer International Betting Sites
This situation has persisted for a long time when Austrian companies were permitted to operate domestically alongside international websites. This led to a situation where Austrian firms have to comply with their country’s regulations and pay taxes, while foreign sites got away without meeting the same obligations. Consequently, this led the government of Austria in search of methods through which gamblers would be motivated into using local websites.
It was in October 2012 when Austrian Lotteries, a part of Casinos Austria International, was granted an exclusive online license that will last for fifteen years. The main reason behind this award was casino games and it had nothing to do with sports betting licenses for domestic companies or the ability to bet on any Austrian betting sites but banned adverts from overseas firms some of which run their bookie alongside casinos and poker.
The Court of Justice for the European Union (CJEU) intervened in May 2014 and found that Austria did not follow its own rules, which created an unfair market and made it non-compliant with EU legislation. Although this is more in relation to casinos at the moment, it would be useful for sports bettors as far as Austrian betting sites are concerned going forward.
However, there are many benefits for bettors to place bets on international websites, and we explain all of them in our authoritative coverage of betting sites in Austria.
Advantages of Betting With International Bookmakers in Austria
With every Austrian state having different gambling laws, it’s comparably easier for you to gamble on a foreign site and know for sure that you are doing so legally. Besides this, it also ensures that one gets exposed to many betting sites as such leading to huge bonuses and great odds due to competition among them. It can also be helpful when seeking out niche sports – though it must be mentioned that Austrian bookmakers have strong coverage of winter sports markets.
Presented here are several essential benefits of placing bets on international betting websites.
- No legal consequences for betting with international operators
- Friendly and knowledgeable support agents fluent in German
- Diverse range of pre-event and in-play betting markets
- Consistently better odds for greater returns on your winnings
- Bigger bonuses for new customers and generous VIP programs
Is Sports Betting Legal in Austria?
In spite of being very strict on other forms of gambling, Austria has embraced a free attitude towards sports betting. In 1955 the Austrian State Treaty was signed ending the Allied occupation and restoring the sovereignty of this central European country after it regained its democracy at the end of World War II. As a result, Austria has risen to become one of the world’s richest countries in terms of GDP.
Although casinos and other forms of gambling are closely regulated by government control, Austria has adopted an open-minded approach to the growth of sports-betting within her boundaries. Instead of being subsumed under this national gambling monopoly, betting shops are given licenses by the Austrian states they desire to operate in.
Interpretation and enforcement of the Austrian Gambling Act (also known as Glücksspielgesetz) by each state is different. For example, five states grant non-physical casinos licenses for slot games. More so, you can gamble online with operators who are not in Austria.
Austria has a huge fan base for bookmaker cafes. This popular concept combines a coffee shop with the opportunity to bet on numerous sporting events. There are more than 200 of such cafes in Austria and the greatest operator of land-based betting, Admiral, manages all of them. Besides online services, this company like other operators also has worked on terminals for betting technology.
Though the open market is good for the consumer, its major drawback is that it lacks a regulatory authority to enforce rulings in case you feel that an operator has not provided the expected service or even acted against your interests. However, most operators simply want to operate genuine and profitable Austrian betting sites.
Is gambling legal in Austria? Depending on which of the nine states you are located, there are different laws governing betting sites in Austria. However, it is not illegal for gamblers to make real money sports bets with overseas bookmakers.
Do Austrian betting sites offer bonuses? Plenty of free bets are also made available by Austrian bookies, just like in many other countries. Registering with a site will secure you bonuses but a lot of the best sites still offer free bets to bettor even after their first deposits.
What is the best betting app in Austria? There are a number of top online betting companies in Austria that have developed their own mobile apps which can be downloaded for free from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. You can find the most outstanding bookies’ app by just taking a look at this page’s top section.
Q.Does Austria tax sports betting winnings? A.Any player who wins a bet on sports in Austria is not subject to tax. It implies that whatever you earn, you can have. This is amazing information for both casual and professional gamblers on sports.
Q.What is the legal gambling age in Austria? A.Like most European countries, the legal gambling age in Austria is 18 years. If one is equal to or under 17 years old, wagering with real money on any sporting event becomes prohibited by law.