Dr. Christian Rapani
Attorney at law
Christian Rapani founded his law firm in 2013, specialising in corporate and company law as well as gaming and betting law. Christian Rapani is the author of numerous publications in these practice areas. He has extensive experience in advising national and international clients in all areas of commercial law. One of his main areas of expertise is gaming and betting law. He assists with licensing procedures and advises clients on national regulatory requirements and developments affecting their business activities.
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2012 Bar Exam
2009 Karl Franzens University Graz (Dr. iur.)
2004 Karl Franzens University Graz and Università di Roma „La Sapienza“ (Mag. iur.)
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2025 Founding of Rapani Rechtsanwälte GmbH
since 2013 Attorney-at-law
2009 – 2013 Associate at a commercial law firm in Graz
2007 – 2009 Assistant professor at the Institute for Austrian and International Corporate and Business Law at the Karl-Franzens-University Graz
2007 – 2009 Research assistant at a commercial law firm in Graz
2005 Court practice in the district of the High State Court of Graz
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- Rapani/Hohenthanner, New draft: Cooling-off rules and tax settlements to raise barriers to Austria market, Global Gaming Insider 2026.
- Rapani/Hohenthanner, Austria's "cooling off" period: Everything you need to know, Global Gaming Insider 2026.
- Rapani/Hohenthanner, The end of Austria's gambling monopoly: Everything we know so far, Global Gaming Insider 2026.
- Rapani/Hohenthanner, Prediction Markets: Between Betting, Financial Instruments and Digital Information Markets – A Legal and Regulatory Analysis from an Austrian Perspective, 2026.
- Rapani/Kotanko, Austria: Gambling Law, Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides 2025.
- Rapani/Kotanko, Judikatur und Entwicklungen bei Spielerklagen in Österreich, ZfWG 2025, 28.
- Rapani/Hohenthanner/Lamprecht, Zur glücksspielrechtlichen Einordnung von Lootboxen – Am Beispiel der Videospiele FIFA und CS:GO, MuR 1/2025.
- Rapani/Kotanko, Online-Wetten in Österreich – Höchstgerichtliche Judikatur und Lösungsansätze, ZfWG 2023, 499.
- Rapani/Kotanko, Landmark decisions of Austrian courts in 2023, IMGL Magazine October 2023 Volume 3 No.4, 6.
- Petschinka/Rapani, Jugendschutz bei Computerspielen - Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen und praktische Herausforderungen - eine Analyse am Beispiel von § 10 WrJSchG, MuR Heft 7-8/2021.
- Rapani, Kommentar zum Glücksspielgesetz, Kommentar zum Glücksspielgesetz mit ausgewählten Fragen des Wettenrechts 1. Auflage 2021.
- Rapani/Kotanko, The Gambling Law Review6 (2021) - Austria, 80.
- Rapani/Kotanko/Sallegger, eSport in Österreich - besteht Regelungsbedarf?, ZfWG 2020, 13.
- Rapani/Pichler, Kommentierung der §§ 73 – 76 WAG 2007 in Brandl/Saria (Hrsg), Kommentar zum Wertpapieraufsichtsgesetz (Loseblatt 2018).
- Rapani/Pichler, Kommentierung der §§ 75 – 78 WAG 2007 in Brandl/Saria (Hrsg), Kommentar zum Wertpapieraufsichtsgesetz (Loseblatt 2015).
- Rapani, Haftung der Depotbank in Folge der Durchbrechung des Pflichtenregimes des § 27 WAG, in FS Jud (2012) 513.
- Rapani, Isola/Rapani, Kommentierung der §§ 75 - 89 WAG 2007 in Brandl/Saria (Hrsg), Kommentar zum Wertpapieraufsichtsgesetz 2. Aufl. (2010), 2010.
- Rapani, Cash Pooling und Gruppenbesteuerung, RWZ 2008, 249.
- Rapani/Isola, Steuerberater und Abschlussprüfer – „Beauftragte“ und damit unmittelbare Täter des § 122 GmbHG und des § 255 AktG?, RWZ 2008, 151.
- Rapani, Niesner/Rapani, Ausweg aus dem Insolvenzdilemma?, Der Standard 28.11.2007.
- Rapani, Isola/Rapani, Kommentierung des § 9 und der §§ 75 - 89 WAG 2007 in Brandl/Saria (Hrsg), Kommentar zum Wertpapieraufsichtsgesetz (2007), 2007.
- Rapani/Kotanko, Austrian Online Gaming - Status quo and outlook, American Gaming Lawyer Volume 14; No. 2 - Autumn 2018, 22.
- Rapani/Kotanko, Glücksspielrechtliche Beurteilung von Lootboxen in Österreich, Hambach & Hambach: Time Law News 01/2023.
- Rapani/Kotanko, The Gambling Law Review4 (2019) - Austria.
- Rapani/Kotanko, The Gambling Law Review5 (2020) - Austria, 77.
- Rapani/Kotanko, The Gambling Law Review7 (2022) - Austria.
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Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (2022), Legal Aspects regarding eSports, Graz.
CasinoBeats (2022), IMGL Masterclass – Taming the Wild West of advertising – is gaming still the villain?, Malta.
imh 15. Austrian Gaming & Betting Conference (2022), Spielerklagen aktuell: Wie geht es weiter?, Wien.
OSWV Fachkongress (2021), Betting on eSports, Anif.
- Spielerklagen aktuell: Wie geht es weiter? (2026), Wien.
- International Masters of Gaming Law Masterclass at SBC Summit Americas in Fort Lauderdale (2026), Cross-Border & Outbound Sweepstakes Opportunities, Fort Lauderdale.
- 19th Gaming & Betting Conference in Vienna (2026), Überblick über die aktuellste Judikatur im Bereich Gaming & Betting ge, Vienna.
- DACH Roundtable at ICE (2026), Barcelona.
- iGaming DACH Summit (2025), unlocking market potential: a comparative analysis of regulatory roadmaps in germany, austria & switzerland, Wien.
- SBC Summit/IMGL Autumn Conference (2025), From Contracts to Claims - diving into how consumer law is shaking up the player-operator relationship and impacting player claims in Austria, Lissabon.
- Sportwettenakademie (2025), Betting on eSports, Wien.
- IAGA International Gaming Summit (2025), Game Integrity in Esports, Berlin.
- imh 18. Austrian Gaming & Betting Conference (2025), Aktuelle Glücksspiel- und wettenrechtliche Judikatur, Wien.
- Arbeitsfachtagung Sportwetten und Glücksspiel in Österreich (2024), Rechtliche Aspekte zum Thema Wetten auf E-Sport, Linz.
- iGaming DACH Summit (2024), Panel Discussion: Regulatory Status Austria: Path to (Casino) Liberation, Wien.
- SBC Summit (2024), Global Market Roundtables, Lissabon.
- Gaming in Holland (2024), Player claims in the Netherlands and abroad, Amsterdam.
- MARE BALTICUM Gaming & Tech Summit (2024), Tallinn.
- 17. Austrian Gaming & Betting Conference (2024), Aktuelle Urteile zu Spielerklagen, Wien.
- Prague Gaming & TECH Summit (2024), D-A-CH Panel, Prag.
- OSWV Fachkongress (2023), Update Online-Wetten, Anif.
- Sportwettenakademie (2023), Betting on eSports, Wien.
- CasinoBeats (2023), IMGL Masterclass – Marketing regulated gambling products in the face of advancing restrictions, Malta.
- imh 16. Austrian Gaming & Betting Conference (2023), Differenz von Glück- und Wettspiel: Was macht den Unterschied?, Wien.
- Prague Gaming & Tech Summit (2023), Gambling Industry Spotlight: DACH, Prag.
- SiGMA (2022), Player claims galore in Austria and Germany: a miscarriage of justice?, Malta.
- OSWV Fachkongress (2022), Online-Wetten – Bewilligungspflicht bei nationalen und grenzüberschreitenden Sachverhalten, Anif.
- Sportwettenakademie (2022), Betting on eSports, Anif.
- Taming the Wild West of advertising – is gaming still the villain? (2022), Malta.
- imh 15. Austrian Gaming & Betting Conference (2022), Technologischer Spielerschutz - Wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse & Innovationen, Wien.
- Legal Aspects regarding eSports (2022), Graz.
- Central and Eastern European Gaming Conference (2021), Industry Update DACH.
- SiGMA (2021), Player claims for losses on the increase: What steps can operators take to minimise exposure?, Malta.
- Betting on eSports (2021), Anif.
- Sportwettenakademie (2020), Betting on eSports, Wien.
- ICE VOX / ICE London (2020), World Regulatory Briefing / Roundtable Austria, London.
- SiGMA (2019), Sports, eSports and Peer-to-Peer Gaming, Panel Discussion, Malta.
- European Gaming Congress (2019), DACH Regional Update, Milan.
- Prague Gaming Summit (2019), DACH market industry trends, Prag.
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Rapani Open #3 (2023), The LOL Tournament in cooperation with CGC Consulting and Austrian Force.
Rapani Open #2 (2021), The LOL Tournament in cooperation with CGC Consulting and Austrian Force.
Rapani Open (2020), The LOL Tournament in cooperation with CGC Consulting and Austrian Force.
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German, English, Italian.
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Styrian Bar Association
IMGL – International Masters of Gaming Law, General Member
IAGA – International Association of Gaming Advisors
EBA – Member of the Esports Bar Association
FeSR – Associated Researcher at the Research Center for eSports Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Augsburg ate