Operator News
Germany – Hanseatic Higher Regional Court to rule over Casino Hamburg’s future next week
By Phil - 18 December 2019
The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg is expected to rule next week on a legal challenge from the Gauselmann Group over the award of an extension to the contract for the casino in Hamburg.
The Gauselmann Group from North Rhine-Westphalia, which already operates several casinos, has accused the city of Hamburg of tailoring the tender for the new concession for the casino on the Esplanade to suit the current operator, Casino Hamburg.
According to a lawyer from the Gauselmann Group, the impression was that the group from North Rhine-Westphalia was not wanted in Hamburg. According to the city, the unsuccessful applicant was rejected for several reasons. Ultimately, the decisive factor for a license is the reliability of an applicant, said the presiding judge.
The higher regional court will announce a decision next week whether the city of Hamburg could reject the claim by Gauselmann. The current license expires at the end of the year with the city of Hamburg only wanting to extend by one year.
FDP parliamentary group leader Michael Kruse said that the senate had taken care of the license too late: “This is particularly bitter for the employees of the casino, for whom it is now completely unclear whether they can still come to work in early January.”
