Novomatic Plans to Enter the Traditional Wiesbaden Casino

Novomatic’s Interest in Wiesbaden Casino

Austrian gambling giant Novomatic has submitted an application for the acquisition of the traditional Wiesbaden casino. Details of the application and whether a complete takeover is planned remain undisclosed by the involved parties.

Current Status of Wiesbaden Casino

The current concession for the Wiesbaden casino expires in 2025, with the majority shareholder being the Jahr + Achterfeld Gesellschaft, also managing the Hamburg casino.

Future of Wiesbaden Casino

Novomatic and Andreas Krautwald, the managing director of the Wiesbaden casino, have not provided any comments on the potential entry. Novomatic’s press office cited legal reasons for their inability to disclose information at this early stage.

History of Wiesbaden Casino

Founded in 1771, the Wiesbaden casino is housed in the Alte Kurhaus since 1810, maintaining its elegant architecture and attracting around 200,000 visitors annually.

Concession Renewal

The city of Wiesbaden will be responsible for renewing the casino concession after it expires in 2025. The possibility of self-awarding the concession without a tender process is being considered, while external tendering is also on the table, with Novomatic as a potential contender.

City’s Considerations

The city must assess its capability to manage a casino internally, with a successful example being the self-managed Bad Homburg casino. However, external tendering with Novomatic, a global gambling corporation with over 2,100 establishments worldwide, is also being discussed.