Austria’s Tirol plans to introduce a new gambling statute that will ban live in-play sports betting online, at stores and at match events.
The change is being pushed by the Austrian People’s Party and Green Party which feels the current Tirol Bookmaker and Totalisator Law of 2002 needs stricter rules for sports betting.
“The priority is customer protection and addiction prevention, so we want to ban betting on events during a game. Such bets require rapid decision making that increases the risk of losing control over bets and increases risks,” said Tirol government official and ÖVP member Patrizia Zoller-Frischauf.
Under the proposed law, license fees for operators will double to $169,545. Sports betting will be prohibited between midnight and 8am, and players wishing to bet more than $1,000 euros will be required to provide proof of identification.
The law has not gone before Parliament, but it as seen as likely to pass. In-play betting allows bets while games are being played with odds being constantly updated. Many officials see the practice as ripe for fraud.
