Greens accuse government of orienting gambling reform toward revenue rather than player protection

Background of the criticism

Among other things, the lawmaker criticized the planned granting of an additional casino license. This would raise the total number of licenses to 13. Tomaselli expressed her "unverständnis" (incomprehension) about this and asked why the government was expanding the offering instead of regulating it more strictly.

The Green politician also pointed to the scale of gambling addiction in Austria: Around 350,000 people are considered addicted to gambling, according to her figures. 35 percent of players indicated that they prefer to gamble in casinos, which Tomaselli interpreted as an indication of the reach of traditional gambling venues.

Tomaselli also sees weaknesses in the stake rules. While the deposit limits have been lowered from ten to five euros, and it is no longer permitted to play every second, but only every other second. Theoretically, however, each player could still wager up to 9,000 euros per hour – an amount that the politician classified as insufficiently protected.

Stake rules and protection gaps

In connection with young people, Tomaselli described loot boxes – virtual rewards from video games issued as a reward for long playing time or for payment – as the "Einstiegsdroge Nummer 1" (number one gateway drug) among young people. The Greens are therefore calling for better protection of minors from such mechanics.

Historically, Tomaselli pointed out that the Greens had advocated for a maximum stake of 20 cents per round during the previous turquoise-green government. This proposal had been oriented toward player protection and was apparently no longer being pursued.

The Greens' demands

"Ich weiß nicht, ob hier Nebenabsprachen getroffen wurde", Tomaselli remarked, underlining her suspicion that agreements may have been reached between the governing parties at the expense of stricter protection rules. The federal government itself did not comment on the allegations in the available sources.

Overall, the Greens see the reform as evidence that financial interests are being placed above public health considerations. Tomaselli announced that she would continue to push for improvements in player protection.

The criticism comes at a time when the gambling industry in Austria is growing and the state's revenues from licenses and taxes play a relevant role. Observers expect that the parliamentary debate over the reform will intensify in the coming weeks.