Casinos Austria has appointed Andreas Bierwirth as its incoming chief executive, placing the executive at the helm ahead of a major round of gambling licence renewals and proposed changes to Austria’s regulated market.

Bierwirth will take over as CEO of Casinos Austria AG and chairman of the board of management of Austrian Lotteries (Österreichische Lotterien) on March 14, 2027. He will succeed Erwin van Lambaart, whose five-year contract expires that month after he decided against seeking an extension.

The appointment follows an international recruitment process overseen by an external personnel consultancy. Bierwirth has served on the company’s board since 2025 and spent the past year as chief transformation officer, giving him direct involvement in the group’s operations ahead of the transition.

The change comes as Austria prepares to reconsider the structure of its casino and online gambling sectors. Casinos Austria currently operates all 12 land-based casinos in the country, while Austrian Lotteries’ Win2day brand holds the sole licence for lotteries and online gaming under a 15-year permit.

Executive transition ahead of a regulatory turning point

The supervisory board selected Bierwirth after reviewing candidates through the international search process. His appointment will also reduce the group’s management board to two members: Bierwirth and Martin Škopek, who will continue serving alongside him.

Edith Hlawati, a board member of state holding company ÖBAG, which owns a stake in Casinos Austria, backed the decision and pointed to Bierwirth’s experience managing established businesses through periods of change.

“I am very convinced of this decision. After a year as Chief Transformation Officer, Andreas Bierwirth is very well aware of the challenges facing the Group. In previous management positions, he successfully led established companies through the transformation into competitive market environments. He is therefore ideally qualified for the role of CEO of the Casinos Austria Group,” Hlawati said according to iGaming Business.

Robert Zadrazil, chairman of the supervisory board, thanked the outgoing executive for his work during his tenure. He said van Lambaart had strengthened the reputation and market position of Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries while advancing the group’s digital transformation. Zadrazil described the companies as “exceptionally well” positioned to address future challenges, adding that they had a solid financial foundation.

Licence renewals take centre stage

The incoming CEO identified the forthcoming concession awards as a defining priority for the group. The renewal process will determine the basis of its casino and lottery operations in the years ahead, while proposed legislation could introduce additional competition.

“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,” Bierwirth said.

A draft bill published in June proposed ending Casinos Austria’s longstanding monopoly in the online gambling market. It also outlined plans to increase the number of casino licences from 12 to 13. The proposals would reshape the environment in which the group operates, requiring it to compete for concessions while preparing for a more open online market.

Bierwirth acknowledged the implications of that transition and said the company intended to compete on the strength of its offering. “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,” he said.

His comments reflect the dual task awaiting the new leadership: securing the group’s future concessions while adapting to a regulatory framework that may allow more operators to enter the market.

Shareholders back incoming leadership

Allwyn CEO Robert Chvatal, whose company is a shareholder in Casinos Austria, welcomed Bierwirth’s appointment and expressed confidence in the incoming chief executive’s ability to guide the group through the next phase.

“I am looking forward to working with Andreas Bierwirth, an experienced manager who I know will drive the next decisive steps of the Group with a strong entrepreneurial orientation. At Allwyn, we share the same belief in and passion for responsible gaming as well as a clear commitment to Austria.”

Bierwirth, meanwhile, acknowledged the responsibility attached to leading the group, citing its obligations to customers, the state and the wider community. He highlighted the companies’ contribution to public finances, sport and culture, alongside their responsibility to promote safer gambling.

The executive also pointed to the group’s history as it prepares for the next stage of its development. Austrian Lotteries is marking 40 years of operation in 2026, while Casinos Austria will reach its 60th anniversary in 2027. Bierwirth said he intended to use the remaining months before taking office to work with van Lambaart and prepare the company’s agenda alongside Škopek. The two executives will work together during the handover period before Bierwirth formally assumes leadership in March.