Casinos Austria names Andreas Bierwirth CEO of Austrian Lotteries as concession re-award nears

Casinos Austria announced on Wednesday that Andreas Bierwirth will become the new CEO and chairman of the board of Austrian Lotteries (Österreichische Lotterien). He will take up the role on 14 March 2027 and succeed Erwin van Lambaart, whose five-year contract expires that month.

According to the company, the appointment followed an international search run by a personnel consultancy. The process began after Van Lambaart decided in September last year not to seek an extension. He said the changing operating environment would benefit from a new leadership team. Van Lambaart remains chair of the European Casino Association, a post he has held since 2023.

The change will leave the executive board with two members, Bierwirth and Martin Škopek. Bierwirth has sat on the board since 2025. Edith Hlawati, a board member of state holding company ÖBAG, which holds shares in Casinos Austria, said he is very aware of the challenges facing the group. Supervisory board chairman Robert Zadrazil praised Van Lambaart for positioning the company exceptionally well for the future.

Robert Chvatal, CEO of Allwyn, a shareholder in Casinos Austria, also welcomed the appointment. He described Bierwirth as an experienced manager and reaffirmed a shared commitment to responsible gaming in Austria. Chvatal added that Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries are well positioned for the upcoming concession award.

Bierwirth named the re-award of the lottery and casino concessions as a central objective, saying they form the basis of the business going forward. Casinos Austria currently holds all 12 land-based casino licences, while the Win2day brand of Austrian Lotteries holds the country's single licence for lotteries and online gaming, a 15-year permit.

A draft bill published in June would end the Casinos Austria monopoly and open up the online market. It also provides for 13 casino licences instead of the current 12. Bierwirth said the group will accept the competition and aim to convince players through quality, noting that the shift from a monopoly to a liberalised market is a special management task for the former monopolist.