The Brussels City Assembly has been ordered to suspend the award of the 15-year concession to operate Grand Casino Brussels, valued at €750 million ($875.3 million), which was awarded to ‘ECK NV’ — Napoleon Games.
The suspension order was issued by the Office of the Belgian Auditor General following an appeal filed by the casino’s current operator, Viage, a joint venture with Casinos Austria International.
Viage has operated Grand Casino since 2010. The company asked the Brussels City Assembly to explain why Napoleon Games’ bid received a higher score in the tender for the new 15-year concession, valued at €750 million ($875.3 million).
According to Viage, the Assembly failed to provide sufficient justification for its decision to award the contract to Napoleon Games. In particular, the company questioned the importance given by the authorities to the “vision for the future of the site” criterion.
Napoleon Games scored 91 points out of 100 in the tender, compared with 87 points for Viage. Under the “vision for the future of the site” criterion, Napoleon received 30 points, while Viage received 20.
The Auditor General ordered the City Assembly to provide Viage with an explanation of why this criterion played such an important role in selecting the winner and why there was such a significant difference between the two bidders under a criterion based primarily on qualitative assessment.
The auditor’s recommendation is not yet a final decision by the Council of State, and the court is not obliged to follow it. However, such recommendations are rarely overturned, leaving the future transfer of the Brussels casino uncertain.
In July, Napoleon Games was selected as the winner from six bidders and is scheduled to take over the venue on 1 January 2027. The concession will run until the end of 2041, while the city’s property authority values it at approximately €750 million ($875.3 million), excluding VAT, based on projected revenue over the full term of the agreement.
Viage is expected to leave the property on 31 December 2026. Suspending the process could further complicate an already challenging handover, with the casino occupying 14,300 square metres, employing around 200 people and attracting more than 310,000 visitors annually.
If the Council of State agrees with the auditor’s position, Brussels could provide additional justification for the scores awarded to the bidders and reaffirm its decision in favour of Napoleon Games. Viage, however, could challenge such a justification, arguing that it was prepared retrospectively specifically to defend the outcome of the tender.
Another option for Brussels would be to restart the entire tender process or repeat certain stages. However, with only four months remaining before the planned change of operator, completing a new European procurement procedure before 1 January is unlikely.
Super Bets on Napoleon in Battle for Belgian Casino
A temporary extension of Viage’s concession could prove to be the most practical solution for ensuring the casino remains operational and protecting jobs. However, this scenario could also trigger new legal disputes, as Napoleon Games could challenge an extension of the existing agreement without a new tender.
Securing the concession is an important part of the growth strategy for Napoleon Games, which was acquired by Super in July 2021 for approximately €400 million ($466.6 million). Super views investments in established Belgian casino operators as one of the key tools for further expanding its business across Western Europe. The strategy is backed by a €1.2 billion ($1.40 billion) investment programme supported by Blackstone and HPS Investment Partners.
Strengthening its position in Belgium’s gambling market is among Super’s priorities, alongside the continued international expansion of its flagship sportsbook brand. One of the group’s latest moves was the launch of Superbet in Greece in summer 2026, making Greece the group’s sixth operating market.
The Council of State is expected to issue its ruling in the coming weeks. Until then, uncertainty remains over both Napoleon Games’ planned takeover of the casino on 1 January 2027 and Viage’s scheduled departure from the venue.
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