Napoleon Games Is Again Chosen to Operate the Brussels Casino

The city of Brussels has once again selected Napoleon Games to operate its casino for the next fifteen years. The decision was made on Thursday, 5 November. The Council of State had asked for the bids to be reviewed after the first tender was suspended in July.

The Council of State had pointed out inconsistencies in the reasoning behind the decision and gaps relating to some European obligations. The city reviewed its analysis, but the ranking did not change. Only the score of Grand Casino de Dinant was reduced by five points. The new evaluation includes a more detailed comparison between the bids and removes many of the elements that had been criticized.

Napoleon Games scored 30 out of 30 on its site vision, while its closest rival scored 20 out of 30 in this area. The company stood out in particular for its hotel and restaurant project, its live entertainment options and its plan to host an international chess tournament. In the final ranking, Napoleon Games finished ahead of Viage by 3.28 points out of 100. The estimated total value of the future concession is 750 million euros.

The start of the new concession has been postponed to 1 July 2027. To avoid any interruption in operations and to protect the 286 jobs at the casino, the city and Viage agreed to extend the current contract by six months, until 30 June. The City of Brussels and Viage did not comment on the new decision. In a written statement, Napoleon Games CEO Philippe Joos said, "We firmly believe in the potential of the Brussels Casino." The company plans to turn the venue into a destination suited to a physical casino, based primarily on hospitality and a responsible gaming policy.