CEO change at Casinos Austria: Andreas Bierwirth to take over

Casinos Austria announced that Andreas Bierwirth has been appointed the new CEO and chairman of the management board of the Austrian Lotteries (Österreichische Lotterien). Bierwirth will take over on 14 March 2027. The five-year contract of his predecessor, Erwin van Lambaart, will expire in the same month.

The appointment followed an international search carried out by a consulting firm. Last September, Van Lambaart had announced that he would not extend his contract. Van Lambaart, who has chaired the European Casino Association (ECA) since 2023, remains in that role.

Bierwirth has been on the management board since 2025. With the change, the executive board will shrink to two members, Bierwirth and Martin Škopek. Edith Hlawati, a supervisory board member of the state holding company ÖBAG, said Bierwirth was well suited to lead the company through a challenging period. Robert Zadrazil, the chairman of the supervisory board, said that Van Lambaart had prepared the company well for the future.

Robert Chvatal, CEO of Allwyn, a shareholder in Casinos Austria, also welcomed the appointment. Chvatal said the companies were well prepared for the upcoming licence tender. Bierwirth, for his part, noted that the lottery and casino licences will be awarded again, and said they would show that their company group is the most suitable partner for this task.