Casinos Austria is expected to emerge from the country’s casino licensing tender with the majority of its existing licences, it has been claimed.
In a move intended to bring liberalisation to the marketplace and allow for greater competition, the Austrian government is putting 16 licences – 15 casinos and one poker facility – out to tender. The process is divided into six parts, the first of which – the so-called Stadt-Paket - contains the six existing casino licences in the capitals of Austria’s provinces. The second package contains the six existing licences in smaller Austrian cities and is known as the Land-Paket.
Walter Schwartz, of the law firm Schwartz Huber-Medek & Partner Rechtsanwälte, believes the criteria set out by the government favours Casinos Austria, the current holder of all the country’s present casino licences.
“All spectators are of the same opinion,” he told InterGaming. “The conditions of the application procedure are tailor made for Casinos Austria.”
It would be a surprise, he explained, if the company failed to win the majority of licences on offer.
“From my point of view, Casinos Austria will in all likelihood get the Stadt-Paket and two of the single casino licences, but there is also the possibility that Casinos Austria will get both packages and one or two single licences. In that case, it would have more licences than now.”
To read the full article, pick up a copy of the February issue of InterGaming.
