BRUSSELS, 31 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgium’s Council of State has suspended the 15-year casino concession awarded to ECK NV, the operator behind Napoleon Games, following a legal challenge by current operator Viage over the City of Brussels’ tender process.
Viage, which has managed the Boulevard Anspach venue since 2010, filed the appeal after finishing narrowly behind ECK in the municipal selection process. The ruling blocks the planned 1 January 2027 operator handover while the legal issues remain unresolved.
Flaws in tender assessment
The Council of State identified shortcomings in the evaluation of competing bids and the reasoning provided by municipal authorities. The administrative court ruled that the city failed to demonstrate whether requirements in the tender specifications were properly applied.
Judges highlighted an apparent factual error in the city’s evaluation of Viage’s bid, which claimed the current operator was open for only nine months. The proceedings also cited unverified partnership assessments by ECK and potential non-compliance with the European Union’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation.
High financial and operational stakes
The suspended contract covers the 2027–2042 operating period and is valued at approximately €750 million. ECK, owned by Romanian gambling group Superbet, planned to move its headquarters and online gambling infrastructure from Flanders to Brussels as part of its expansion.
Viage operates the 14,300-square-meter facility, employing more than 300 staff members and drawing over 310,000 visitors annually. The existing operator submitted its renewal bid in June 2026 to protect its long-term presence in the capital.
Uncertainty surrounds handover timeline
The court’s decision does not automatically transfer the concession to Viage. Instead, it prevents the execution of the award until the City of Brussels addresses the procedural and legal errors noted by the tribunal.
City officials must now determine whether to re-evaluate the existing submissions or initiate a new procurement process. With the previous 1 January 2027 transition date suspended, the long-term management of Belgium’s primary casino venue remains unsettled.
