Brussels prosecutor opens probe into Casino van Brussel concession after anonymous complaint

A criminal investigation has been opened into the concession process for Casino van Brussel after the prosecutor received an anonymous complaint. The Prosecutor's Office of Brussels (parket van Brussel) confirmed on Monday that an inquiry into alleged conflict of interest against unknown persons is under way and that the federal police will carry out checks; the office declined to disclose further details about the complaint or the evidence subject to the controls.

What the prosecutor has confirmed about the investigation

The Prosecutor's Office of Brussels formally announced the opening of an "opsporingsonderzoek" — a criminal investigation — into the concession award for Casino van Brussel. The procedural target is described as "belangvermenging tegen onbekenden" (conflict of interest against unknowns). The office said: > "De federale politie zal controles uitvoeren." The statement added that at this stage the prosecutor would not release further information on the content of the complaint or the specific elements under examination.

The involvement of the federal police signals that investigators will review documentation and operational matters tied to the concession decision. The prosecutor's refusal to provide more detail is consistent with an early-stage inquiry in which investigators seek to preserve evidence and avoid alerting potential subjects of the probe.

How this sits alongside the administrative challenge to the award

The judicial inquiry runs in parallel with an existing administrative contestation of the concession. In July, the City of Brussels awarded the new concession for Casino van Brussel to ECK, the company that operates Napoleon Games. That administrative award was immediately subject to legal challenge.

On 31 August the Council of State (Conseil d'État / Raad van State) suspended the City of Brussels decision after an appeal was filed by Casinos Austria International, the company behind Viage, the current operator of the Brussels casino. The suspension prevents the July award from taking effect while the Council of State considers the merits of Casinos Austria International's challenge.

Timeline and immediate operational consequences

• July: City of Brussels awards the concession for Casino van Brussel to ECK (Napoleon Games operator).

• 31 August: Council of State suspends the City's award following an appeal by Casinos Austria International (Viage).

• Monday (prosecutor statement date): Prosecutor's Office of Brussels confirms a criminal investigation opened following an anonymous complaint; federal police to carry out checks.

The concession held by Viage is due to expire on 31 December. That fixed expiry date is now the focal point for both the legal and operational uncertainty affecting the venue.

Impact on staff and the operator's plans

Almost 300 employees are directly affected by the unresolved concession status. The source operating company, Viage, remains the incumbent until the concession expires on 31 December, but the current operator has shown little indication that it intends to continue operations beyond that date. This creates a narrow window for any administrative, commercial or transitional arrangements to be agreed if the suspension or the criminal inquiry leads to further delay.

For staff, the two concurrent processes — the Council of State suspension and the criminal probe — mean there is no clear timeline for resolution. Employers in analogous concession disputes typically face employment law obligations tied to notice periods and possible transfer of undertakings, but no such arrangements have been announced in this case.

What happens next and what stakeholders should watch

The criminal investigation and the administrative appeal will proceed on separate tracks. Key items to monitor are:

• any follow-up communications from the Prosecutor's Office of Brussels on the progress of the federal police controls;

• the Council of State's timetable for deciding the merits of Casinos Austria International's appeal against the City's award to ECK;

• statements from ECK (Napoleon Games) and from Casinos Austria International (Viage) about operational plans if the suspension is lifted or prolonged; and

• any interim measures the City of Brussels adopts to ensure continuity of services and employee protections before 31 December.

Operators, service providers and local authorities that work with Casino van Brussel should prepare for a period of legal uncertainty. Contractual counterparties may be asked to pause transitions until the Council of State rules or until the prosecutor's investigation clarifies whether there are criminal implications for individuals or entities involved in the concession process.

Regulatory and market context

The case touches both licensing procedures run at municipal level and criminal-law oversight exercised by federal authorities. The City of Brussels acted as the awarding authority for the concession; the Council of State supervises administrative legality; and the Prosecutor's Office of Brussels and the federal police investigate alleged criminal wrongdoing. Market participants will watch how these different bodies interact and whether administrative remedies and criminal findings influence each other.

The immediate practical pressure point is the 31 December concession expiry. Until either the suspension is lifted or a definitive administrative or judicial outcome is reached, the operator of Casino van Brussel and its workforce face operational uncertainty.

Eleanor Whitfield, Regulatory Affairs Correspondent.

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