Salzburg legalizes gambling machines: A step into the unknown!

Salzburg legalizes gambling machines: A step into the unknown!

A significant change in the area of ​​slot gambling has recently taken place in Salzburg. On July 3, 2025, Deputy Governor Marlene Svazek (FPÖ) announced that the new gaming machine law was passed in the last committee meeting of the Salzburg State Parliament. This law provides for the introduction of 472 gaming machines, which are intended to deprive illegal gaming operations of their business basis. In a political context, the ÖVP voted for the law together with the FPÖ, while the opposition from the SPÖ, Greens and KPÖ Plus was strongly against it. Simon Heilig-Hofbauer from the Greens described the day of the farewell as a “black day for Salzburg”.

A central concern of the new regulations is player protection. All applicants for a concession must present a comprehensive concept for protecting players. Especially when players are classified as at risk, trained staff and creditworthiness are required. In addition, distances from sensitive facilities such as schools, playgrounds and kindergartens must be maintained: Individual installations must maintain a distance of at least 100 meters, while a distance of 15 kilometers is required for more complex installations of 15 or more machines.

Player protection and criticism

The FPÖ has positioned itself as a strong voice for player protection, which particularly underlines the need for such measures. But the opposition sees the new regulations as an “addiction turbo” that does not adequately address the danger of gambling addiction and its consequences. The SPÖ has also submitted a motion aimed at sensitizing students about the risks of gambling and sports betting.

But there are challenges in gambling not only in Austria, but also internationally. The State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV), which came into force in Germany on July 1, 2021, also aims to provide players with a legal and safe environment. The regulation covers online casinos and sports betting, and pursues similar goals to the new measures in Salzburg: players should be better protected against manipulation and excessive gaming behavior. But implementation is complex and despite regulation, a large black market remains.

Need for regulation in Germany

The GlüStV stipulates, among other things, that players are allowed to bet a maximum of 1 euro per game round, and there is a ban file for cross-platform players. The law was introduced to provide a legal alternative to illicit gambling and to protect the integrity of sporting competition. Nevertheless, regulation is only taking effect slowly, which leads to a persistently high level of use of illegal platforms. An evaluation of the GlüStV for 2026 is intended to check the effectiveness of the measures.

The debate about gambling will continue in Salzburg. The new regulations are a first step towards legalization and regulation, but the discussions about player protection and the social effects of gambling are far from over.