Criminal Investigation Opened into Casino van Brussel Concession Following Anonymous Complaint

The Parket van Brussel opened a criminal investigation into a possible conflict of interest related to the concession of the Casino van Brussel after receiving an anonymous complaint, and the federal police will carry out checks. The initiation of the case was confirmed on Monday, September 28, 2026, according to judicial sources; for its part, the administrative decision awarding the concession had already been suspended by the Raad van State on August 31, 2026.

Criminal investigation and federal police checks regarding the concession of the Casino van Brussel

The Parket van Brussel announced that it has opened an "opsporingsonderzoek" (criminal investigation) for a suspected case of conflicts of interest against unknown individuals in relation to the concession of the Casino van Brussel. The investigation was initiated after receiving an anonymous complaint and, in its statement, the public prosecutor clarified that the federale politie (federal police) will conduct checks as part of the case. At this initial stage, the Parket van Brussel has not provided details about the contents of the complaint or the specific elements that will be subject to verification.

Administrative context: award, appeal and suspension by the Raad van State

The dispute over the concession already accumulated an administrative dimension prior to the anonymous complaint. In July 2026, the Stad Brussel (City of Brussels) decided to award the new concession to ECK, the company operating Napoleon Games. This award was challenged by Casinos Austria International, the parent company behind Viage, which is the current operator of the casino in the Belgian capital.

The appeal submitted by Casinos Austria International prompted the Raad van State to issue a precautionary measure: on August 31, 2026, it suspended the municipal decision awarding the concession to ECK. The suspension pauses the administrative implementation of the new award while the administrative courts examine the substance of the appeal filed by the company linked to Viage.

Impact on the operation and staff of the casino

The concession currently operated by Viage is set to expire on December 31, 2026. This contractual expiration places the management and staff in a situation of uncertainty: nearly 300 employees are affected by the timeline and lack clarity regarding who will be the operator starting January 2027. According to the available public communications, the current operator, Viage, has so far shown little intention of announcing a continuation of its activities after December 31, 2026.

What the checks and investigation imply for the concession

The checks that the federal police will carry out are part of the criminal process opened by the Parket van Brussel, although the public prosecutor did not detail the operational scope or the documents or actions that will be subject to verification. Procedurally, the opening of an opsporingsonderzoek allows authorities to gather evidence, conduct inspections, and, if deemed appropriate, decide to initiate legal proceedings against individuals identified by the investigation.

The criminal procedure progresses in parallel to the administrative route: the suspension ordered by the Raad van State keeps the legal situation on standby, while the criminal investigation may provide evidentiary elements different from those that the administrative jurisdiction will evaluate.

Repercussions for the parties involved and next steps

The parties directly named in the public records are:

• Stad Brussel, which awarded the concession in July 2026 to ECK.

• ECK, the awarded company that operates Napoleon Games.

• Casinos Austria International, which filed the administrative appeal and is the parent company of Viage.

• Viage, current operator of the Casino van Brussel whose contract expires on December 31, 2026.

• Parket van Brussel and the federale politie, who are conducting the criminal investigation and checks.

The next observable milestones on the public calendar are two: the continuation of the review by the Raad van State regarding the appeal from Casinos Austria International and the course that the investigations led by the Parket van Brussel will take following the federal police's checks. Any judicial or administrative progress will need to be announced by the competent authorities; so far, no additional timelines or complementary precautionary measures have been made public.

What investors and operators in the Belgian market should monitor

For operators and suppliers exposed in Belgium, the case illustrates the coexistence of administrative and criminal pathways when discussing a public concession. The relevant questions for third parties are contractual practices related to the change of operator, the transition timeline set for December 31, 2026, and the possible impact on the staff of nearly 300 workers. Both the Stad Brussel decision and the Raad van State suspension, as well as the Parket van Brussel investigation, should be followed as separate and verifiable events.

For more information on regulatory frameworks and concession disputes, see our coverage in the regulation section and sector news in news.

"The federale politie will conduct checks," stated the Parket van Brussel in its press release, confirming the involvement of the federal police in the case. — Parket van Brussel

Miguel Sandoval, Regulatory Affairs Correspondent