Best 10 eSports Bookmakers in Austria 2023 🇦🇹

Choosing the best esports betting site in Austria can be challenging for most Austrian punters because of the numerous options available. As such, punters must ensure the betting site offers a wide variety of eSports betting markets. The wider the variety, the more opportunities the punters get. Punters interested in betting on particular eSports events must ensure the events are offered on the site.

Austrian punters must also ensure that the eSports betting sites are licensed and have good reputations. That especially is the case for international betting sites as the internet is filled with scam sites. Other essential factors to consider include user-friendliness of the site, available payment options, and bonus offers, among others.

History of esports betting in Austria

Esports gaming in Austria began during the 1970s. That was when early video games were released, such as Invaders and Asteroids. However, gaming was mainly for entertainment purposes. As time went by, the electronic gaming market became too competitive. More and more games were introduced into the market annually, with newer ones being more advanced.

Computers and gaming consoles became a lot more accessible during the 90s, which marked the start of a different era of electronic sports gaming. Punters began playing on local area networks. Soon after, players could connect their computers and consoles to the internet to enjoy multiplayer games without geographical restrictions.

However, it was not until the 2000s that betting on electronic games began getting traction. At the time, no recognized organizations regulated the eSports gaming industry, which made betting providers shy away from offering betting markets. That gradually changed as streaming became popular and more reliable organizations sprang up to organize reputable events and tournaments. Austrian punters became among the first to embrace eSports betting as eSports was already popular in the country.

Future of esports in Austria

Many experts predict that eSports gambling will continue soaring in popularity in the future, probably at a higher rate than is currently. That is because the laws are generally supportive of eSports betting. Advances in technology will also see the eSports industry welcome advanced and more entertaining electronic games. That will attract more interest in the gambling world.

However, the increasing popularity of eSports betting in Austria will more than likely welcome new regulations to protect Austrian punters from the effects of gambling corruption and addiction. The government will also look for ways to increase revenue from the industry as it continues to grow.

The history of gambling in Austria

Austria has quite a long gambling history, dating back to the Middle Ages. It started with people from nobility playing games such as dice for items of value and money. That was also when card games were introduced and began growing in popularity. By the 17th century, gambling had already grown in popularity throughout Austria. Members of the lower social strata, such as craftsmen and farmers, could spend their free time playing dice and ball games. However, it was mostly for entertainment as they could play without any monetary stakes. The games also attracted many spectators, especially during public holidays.

As gambling grew in popularity, the rulers became concerned and introduced regulations. In 1696, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Leopold I, imposed a law that prohibited all illegal gambling. That marked the beginning of regulated gambling in Austria.

In the 18th century, the nobility began praising gambling, particularly card games. They considered some card games quite elegant and civilized, crucial qualities at the time for things deemed worthy of the nobility. That resulted in all members of the Austrian society enjoying gambling. More card and dice games were gradually introduced, with regulations changing from time to time.

Modern history of gambling in Austria

The 20th century had the most innovations and changes in the Austrian gambling industry. The first lottery was introduced in 1913. And in 1934, the first casino in Austria was opened. At the turn of the millennium, online gambling also became established. Online gambling increased the number of online punters by making gambling services available to more people.

Key historical changes

The first historical change happened in 1696 when gambling regulations were introduced, making most gambling forms legal. However, the laws kept changing from time to time, prohibiting all forms of gambling at times. The introduction of online gambling also marked another key historical change. That was when the popularity of gambling exploded in Austria. Thanks to that, statistics indicate that more than a quarter of the Austrian population has tried gambling.

Are casinos legal in Austria?

Casinos are legal in Austria, both land-based and online. However, there are several restrictions and requirements that punters and casino operators must meet, as per the regulations. In recent times, there has been public interest focused on gambling legislation in the country. The interest is geared towards improving the management of the gambling industry to minimize the adverse effects of gambling among the citizens while maximizing the revenue the government gets from the industry. The Austria Gambling Act will thus most likely be revised in the future.

Esports legislation in Austria

Esports gambling is currently legal in Austria, regulated under online gambling laws. Punters are free to bet on any esports games, provided they are above 18 years. However, eSports players are somewhat limited regarding the number of bookmakers that cover these events. Thus, eSports punters must ensure that their gambling sites are fully licensed by the racing and Gambling Commission.

Betting acts in Austria

The latest National Gambling Bill in Austria was passed in June 2010. The bill was designed to improve Austria's licensing standards and procedures to ensure only legitimate gambling operators get licenses. The bill included hefty punishments for casino operators providing their services without licenses or flaunting the rules of operation. A unique thing about it is that it allowed slot machines to be installed throughout the country, contrary to the efforts of protecting punters against gambling addiction.

The Austrian gambling laws clearly distinguish 'proper' gambling and 'small' gambling. Proper gambling involves significant amounts of money, and small gambling involves gambling with 50 cents or less. Some of the rules and regulations vary between the two types of gambling.

For example, proper gambling can be done only in a casino, while small gambling can be done anywhere within the country. However, a few states do not permit small gambling and have separate gambling laws. In such states, punters must adhere to the state gambling laws despite the national law allowing gambling.

Austrian Gambling Act

Gambling and gaming activities are currently controlled as per the regulations stipulated in the Austrian Gaming Act. This Act ensures that the security standards set for gambling operators are not violated. The Act also focuses on minimizing all the risks to which punters are exposed and ensuring gambling operations are not used for criminal purposes such as money laundering.

Online gambling laws

The Austrian law allows punters to access any licensed gambling site irrespective of where it is based. However, it issues licenses only to locally-based online casino operators. Something unusual is the law allows only Austrian punters to join online casinos licensed in the country. The licensed operators are prohibited from providing their services to international punters. That is an attempt by the government to effectively manage online gambling in the country.

Online casinos are also legally required to provide punters with protection protocols. Such include stake and time limits. All revenues generated by the licensed online casinos are subject to tax. The casino operators must file and submit their tax returns annually. Punters also get to pay tax on all winnings.

Significant change to the online gambling legislation in Austria

The gambling legislation in Austria has been amended 16 times and is likely to undergo further amendments. The legislators have already outlined some changes that they will make in the next amendment, scheduled to be implemented soon. Among the changes is creating a new regulatory authority that focuses only on online gambling.

The regulatory authority will be responsible for creating a program for preventing gambling addiction, blacklisting illegal gambling sites, creating relevant gambling regulations, determining player protection budget, and several other duties.

Austrian players' favorite games

CS: GO

The most popular eSports game in Austria is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Some punters have even gone pro and feature in numerous international competitions. The popularity of the game makes it a favorite among punters as well. Most Austrian eSports punters prefer betting on the game because they understand it better and can do better analysis to make sound betting decisions.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is another favorite among Austrian punters. The multiplayer game features two teams on an online battle arena, each with five players. Dota 2 is known for constantly breaking records for tournament prize pools, a factor that attracts most Austrian punters to it.

FIFA

Betting on FIFA eSports tournaments has many similarities to betting on actual soccer. That is because FIFA is ideally a simulation of the real game. Punters who are already accustomed to sports betting prefer using FIFA as an entry point to eSports betting, as it makes everything feel familiar. Other games that fall into its category are Madden NFL and NBA 2K.

Valorant

Valorant is rather new in the online eSports betting world, but most punters have an eye on it because of the many e-gaming players it attracts. It is a first-person shooter game, released in June 2020.

Payment methods in Austria

Most eSports casinos offer a variety of payment methods to ensure all punters can access their preferred option. However, some payment methods seem to be more popular than others, a few of which are highlighted below.

Banking Cards

Banking cards are particularly popular among punters looking to deposit funds. Statistics indicate that more than 60% of punters in Austria use credit or debit cards. Deposits made through banking cards are processed safely and immediately, as long as the available funds in the cards are enough for the requested deposit amount. Unfortunately, punters explore other alternatives for withdrawals as banking cards do not support withdrawals from eSports betting sites.

Digital Wallets

Digital wallets are the second most popular payment option among punters in Austria. Several e-wallets providers are available to the Austrian punters, including Skrill, ecoPayz, MuchBetter, PayPal, and Revolut. What makes e-wallets a popular option is they support withdrawals in most eSports betting sites.

Bank Transfers

Bank transfers are also quite popular. Most Austrian banks have made depositing funds via bank transfer easy and efficient. The method is also very secure, making it more lucrative to punters. Bank transfers offer relatively higher transaction limits, which is handy for punters looking to deposit large amounts of money.

FAQs

Is betting on eSports legal in Austria?

Betting on eSports is legal in Austria. Punters can bet on any of their preferred games from any casino or betting site. The only conditions are that punters must be above 18 years and gamble only on licensed betting sites.

Is it safe to bet on eSports in Austria?

Betting on eSports in Austria is generally safe. The regulatory authorities have taken measures to effectively protect punters against all possible threats. However, punters must still take all the necessary steps to ensure that their funds and information remain safe, especially when betting with Austria's best eSports betting sites.

Do Austrian eSports casinos offer bonuses?

Yes. Most Austrian online eSports betting sites offer a variety of attractive bonuses. Such include welcome bonuses, referral bonuses, and loyalty bonuses. It is up to the punters to find casinos that offer their preferred bonus types.

Is it possible to bet on Live eSports matches?

Punters can bet on any live eSports matches. However, they have to find an eSports betting site that offers live betting as some of the bookies currently do not have live markets. Most Austrian bookies also provide live betting only on major events.

Most Popular eSports Bookies in Austria