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The 15-year concession is estimated at €750m
The city of Brussels has once again chosen Napoleon Games to operate its casino for the next fifteen years. The decision was made on Thursday, November 5, following a further review of the bids, requested by the Council of State after the initial award was suspended in July.
According to Journal des Casinos, the current operator of the Brussels Casino and second in the procedure, the Council of State noted in particular irregularities in the reasoning of the decision as well as shortcomings with regard to certain European obligations.
The city therefore revised its analysis, without, however, altering the rankings. According to the Belgian daily Le Soir, which was able to consult the new document, no scores changed between the two assessments, with the exception of that of the Grand Casino de Dinant company, which was lowered by five points. The new assessment provides a more detailed comparison between the different bids and removes several elements that had been criticized by the Council of State.
Napoleon Games maintains a significant advantage in terms of site vision, scoring 30 out of 30, compared to 20 out of 30 for its highest-ranked competitor in this area. The operator particularly stands out for its hotel and restaurant project, its live entertainment offerings, and its plan to host an international chess tournament. In the final ranking, 3.28 points out of 100 separate Napoleon Games from Viage.
The future concession represents a total estimated value of €750m. Its entry into force has nevertheless been postponed to July 1, 2027. The city and Viage have, in fact, agreed on a six-month extension of the current contract, until June 30, in order to avoid an interruption of activity and to preserve the 286 jobs of the casino.
Neither the City of Brussels nor Viage wished to comment on this new award. Philippe Joos, CEO of Napoleon Games, however, responded in writing to the newspaper. “We firmly believe in the potential of the Brussels Casino,” he stated. The operator intends to make the venue a destination based primarily on hospitality and a responsible gaming policy adapted to a physical casino.
