Casinos Austria AG has named Andreas Bierwirth as its chief executive designate, positioning the telecommunications and transformation specialist to take charge of the state-linked gaming group at a pivotal moment. Bierwirth will succeed Erwin van Lambaart as General Director of Casinos Austria AG and Chairman of the Executive Board of Austrian Lotteries on 14 March 2027, when van Lambaart’s contract expires without renewal.
Van Lambaart, who has led Casinos Austria since 2022, joined the company from Holland Casino and has served as Chairman of the European Casino Association since February 2023. His departure follows a decision by the group’s shareholders – which include Allwyn and the Austrian state holding company ÖBAG – to initiate the succession process as his contract nears its end.
Bierwirth is not an external appointment in the strictest sense. Since 1 October 2025, he has served as Chief Transformation Officer on the group’s three-member management board, with responsibility for digital development and group-wide process and project management. His elevation to the top role follows less than a year and a half in that position.
A Track Record Outside Gaming
Born in 1971, Bierwirth brings a management background drawn primarily from outside the gambling sector. He spent a decade as Chief Executive of Magenta Telekom, Deutsche Telekom’s Austrian subsidiary, leading an organisation of approximately 2,400 employees from September 2012 to September 2022. During that period, he was named Austria’s Manager of the Year in 2019. His earlier career included senior roles in the airline industry.
This cross-industry profile appears deliberate. With the group facing simultaneous regulatory, competitive and digital pressures, the supervisory board has opted for a leader with a demonstrated record in large-scale operational transformation rather than a career gaming executive.
The Concession Battle Looms
The timing of the appointment is significant. Austria’s gambling reform, which entered EU review in August 2026, would permit up to 13 land-based casino licences – ending Casinos Austria’s long-standing monopoly on the country’s casino sector. The Ministry of Finance is reportedly planning to bundle the current 12 concessions into two packages for a new tender, with the possibility of an additional 13th licence.
Of the existing concessions, a first block expires on 31 December 2027, with the remainder due to lapse at the end of 2030. The reform also contemplates opening the online market, where Austrian Lotteries currently holds exclusive rights through win2day, with new online concessions potentially available from 1 October 2027.
The prospect of genuine competition has already attracted challengers. Entrepreneur Niklas Sattler has publicly signalled his intention to contest the tender against the incumbent, and further entrants are expected once the tender specifications are formally issued.
