Casinos Austria has appointed Andreas Bierwirth as the new CEO and chairman of the board for Austrian Lotteries (Österreichische Lotterien), effective March 14, 2027. He will succeed Erwin van Lambaart, who will complete his five-year term at that time.
This leadership transition follows an international search process conducted by a personnel consultancy, after Van Lambaart announced in September of the previous year that he would not seek to extend his contract. In his statement, Van Lambaart noted that the evolving operational landscape “will benefit from a new leadership team that will guide the company into a promising future.”
Set to step down at the end of his contract in March 2027, Van Lambaart remains the chair of the European Casino Association (ECA), a position he has held since 2023. This change will streamline the executive board to just two members: Bierwirth and Martin Škopek, with Bierwirth having joined the board in 2025.
Edith Hlawati, a board member of the state holding company ÖBAG, which owns shares in Casinos Austria, commended Bierwirth's appointment and affirmed his ability to navigate the group through challenging times. “Andreas Bierwirth is very aware of the challenges facing the group,” she remarked.
Supervisory board chairman Robert Zadrazil praised Van Lambaart for his exceptional leadership, positioning the company well for future challenges. Meanwhile, Robert Chvatal, CEO of Allwyn, a shareholder in Casinos Austria, expressed his support for Bierwirth’s new role. "I look forward to working with Bierwirth, an experienced manager whom I know will drive the next crucial steps for the group,” Chvatal said, also thanking Van Lambaart for his contributions as the company prepares for the upcoming concession award.
Bierwirth identified the forthcoming launch of casino tender licenses as a major goal during his tenure. He stated, “The lottery and casino concessions are due to be re-awarded, which are the basis for our business in the future. We want to and will show that there is no better partner for this special business than our group of companies.”
Currently, Casinos Austria holds all 12 land-based casino licenses, with Austrian Lotteries’ brand Win2day possessing the sole license in the country for lotteries and online gaming, valid for 15 years. A draft bill released in June aims to dismantle Casinos Austria's monopoly, paving the way for a more open online gaming market. It also proposes increasing the number of casino licenses to 13.
“We will accept the competition and give everything to convince the players with our quality. The transition from a monopoly market to a liberalised market is always a very special management task for the former monopolist,” Bierwirth added.
