Casinos Austria boss warns of up to five casino closures if new Austrian tax becomes reality
Casinos Austria’s General Director Erwin van Lambaart has warned that the tax plans of the new federal government will leave the company’s smaller casinos exposed to the risk of going out of business.
As part of its budget consolidation, the new government has decided to increase betting tax from two per cent to five per cent from April 1, 2025, which is expected to generate an additional revenue of €50m. The government program also includes a 10 percent increase in gambling tax. The additional tax revenue from gambling for the public sector is to increase to €129m in 2026 and then to around €150m euros in 2027.
If implemented, Mr van Lambaart believes the increased taxation will leave up to five of Casinos Austria’s smaller venues at risk of closure.
Speaking to Salzburger Nachrichten, Mr van Lambaart said: “We currently have 12 locations, if everything goes as planned by the government, we would probably have to close 30 to 40 per cent of our current locations.”
He highlighted casinos in Zell am See, Kitzbühel, Seefeld, Kleinwalsertal and Velden as being those most in jeoperdy.
He added: “Our group of companies will be strongly attacked if all this is really implemented. We will be losing so much money that the continuity of the company would potentially be at risk. If an increase in gambling tax of more than ten percent actually comes, there will no longer be some smaller businesses. There will potentially be a few fewer casinos in the country.”
