Central Europe
Casinos Austria Appoints New Members to the Supervisory Board
NEW MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED TO THE SUPERVISORY BOARD AT CASINOS AUSTRIA AG ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SUPERVISORY BOARD MEETING.
- Reorganisation of the Supervisory Board: Wolfgang Hesoun is the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board – additional experts have been appointed
- Syndicate contract brings stability to the corporate group
- Player protection is to be a focus of the Supervisory Board
- Implementation of extensive restructuring programme
- Strengthening of distribution and online offers – fight against illegality
Reorganisation of the Supervisory Board
New members were appointed to the Supervisory Board at Casinos Austria AG Annual General Meeting and Supervisory Board Meeting.
At Casinos Austria AG, Wolfgang Hesoun, a top Austrian manager, took the helm as the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board. His currently sole Vice Chairman is SAZKA Group CEO Robert Chvatal, who has chaired the Board since Walter Rothensteiner’s departure.
ÖBAG Director and former PwC CEO Christine Catasta and compliance and player protection expert Erika Stark-Rittenauer were appointed to the Supervisory Board. Gerhild Hofer and Thomas Polzer are leaving the committee.
“I am delighted that we were able to secure an experienced top manager as President of the Supervisory Board, and that person is Wolfgang Hesoun. Our current personnel decisions show that after a challenging period, we are embarking on a new chapter for the company, one in which the Managing Board, the employees, the Supervisory Board and the owners work together to create a positive future for the company,” says ÖBAG Managing Board member Thomas Schmid.
Syndicate contract brings stability to the company
The basis for the changes in membership of the Boards is the syndicate contract between the SAZKA Group (majority owner) and the state-owned holding company ÖBAG. This contract was recently approved by the EU Competition Commission. “The syndicate contract between the two main owners amicably regulates the strategic development and alignment of the corporate group. Our shared vision and long-term strategy provide the stability that the company needs. This is particularly important in the current difficult situation as well as with regard to the challenges facing the corporate group in the near future. In particular, the two main owners will make a substantial contribution to strengthening distribution and building up new online services, as well as driving forward the urgently needed fight against illegality,” SAZKA CEO Robert Chvatal says about the new cooperation between the owners.
Player protection is to be a focus of the Supervisory Board
Player protection and handling gambling responsibly has always been a central issue within the Casinos Austria/Österreichische Lotterien Group. In future, the Supervisory Board will provide tangible support for the company’s efforts in this crucial area. “Casinos and lotteries bear great social responsibility in the gaming sector. As a core shareholder, it is of particular interest to ÖBAG that our shareholdings continue to expand their pioneering role in the area of player protection in Europe. With Erika Stark-Rittenauer, we on the Supervisory Board can provide valuable input in this regard,” Schmid says with respect to the future focus.
Implementation of the restructuring programme
The report on the ReFIT restructuring programme was discussed at length in today’s meetings. Following intensive negotiations, a comprehensive package was put together in a very short time, and most of it has already been implemented. These far-reaching measures will save 50 million euros in the long run and reduce the number of employees by around 500 FTEs across the entire Group. The fact that almost the entire personnel reduction could be carried out in the form of amicable separations and accompanied by corresponding social plans, new collective agreements and company agreements was noted as a positive aspect. This was possible because an amount in the high double-digit millions was spent on the design of these separation packages. Far-reaching internal restructuring has made processes much more efficient and made it possible to focus on new entrepreneurial tasks. This has created a basis for the long-term security of the corporate group.
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“As Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, I look forward to working together with my colleagues on both the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board as we help to successfully shape the Group’s strategic and sustainable development,” says Birgit Wimmer.
Dr. Haig Asenbauer, an internationally experienced lawyer with particular expertise in cross-border M&A transactions, company reorganization, and complex investment structures, was elected to serve as Deputy Chairman. Martina Flitsch retains her position as a Member of the Supervisory Board. She has many years of experience in international group structures and in providing strategic and legal support for corporate investments. Dr. Robert Hofians, a recognized finance and capital markets expert who also has extensive experience in the fields of governance and regulation in his roles as a professor and public accountant, also remains a Member of the Supervisory Board.
As of January 1, 2026, the Supervisory Board of NOVOMATIC AG is now composed as follows:
- Birgit Wimmer, MSc., MBA (Chairwoman)
- Dr. Haig Asenbauer (Deputy Chairman)
- Martina Flitsch (Member)
- Dr. Robert Hofians (Member)
The post Birgit Wimmer Named Chairwoman as NOVOMATIC AG Reshapes Supervisory Board appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Ring Casino at the Nürburgring Congress Hotel has successfully deployed Novomatic’s NovoVision Casino Management System. As a branch of Spielbank Bad Neuenahr, the property integrated this visionary CMS to centralize operations and modernize its daily workflow. Beyond operational efficiency, the move ensures full compliance with upcoming German regulatory shifts, leveraging NovoVision’s advanced modules to uphold the highest standards in player protection and responsible gaming.
The venue offers around 450 square metres of gaming fun for fans of high-speed entertainment, with 62 video slots offering a range of attractive jackpots. All the gaming terminals are now managed centrally via NOVOVISION Floor Control, and jackpot management, cash handling via TITO and accounting are also operated in real time via the diverse system functionalities of NOVOVISION. In particular, access control via NOVOVISION access, player management and database comparison of each visitor with the nationwide OASIS exclusion database were key decision-making criteria for the operator. Both during initial registration and on each subsequent visit to the casino, access at the gates is only granted after thorough verification of the guest’s identity and age, as well as re-/verification against the exclusion database.
Following the successful introduction of NOVOVISION at the Ring Casino am Nürburgring, rollout at the other two locations in Bad Dürkheim and in Bad Neuenahr will follow in the first quarter of 2026.
Marcin Kozlowski, Head of Product Development & Market Coordination NBS, said: “Being able to supply Spielbank Bad Neuenahr, a long-standing NOVOMATIC customer, with our CMS as the core of its casino operations is further confirmation of our excellent business relationship. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the management for the trust they have placed in us and the teams for their excellent cooperation both in the run-up to and during the implementation.”
Thomas Salinger, Technical Director of Gaming at Spielbank Bad Neuenahr GmbH & Co. KG, said: “The successful introduction of NOVOVISION at the Spielbank in Nürburg represents a first major and important milestone in the system implementation in our gaming venues. This powerful casino management solution, with its diverse system functionalities, enables us to meet the ever-growing regulatory requirements efficiently and in a future-proof manner. We look forward to continuing the joint implementation in our casinos with our long-standing business partner NOVOMATIC.”
The post Ring Casino in Nürburgring at the Finish Line with NOVOVISION appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
ScatterKings has made its debut in Austria, partnering with operator win2day to bring its vibrant, hand-crafted portfolio to one of Europe’s most tightly regulated markets.
Headlining the partnership is Sweet win2day, a mouth-watering title designed exclusively for the operator. Other standout ScatterKings games, including Coins of Cleo, Vikings and Hogs Christmas and Big Bob, have also hit the screens of win2day’s customers, with further releases scheduled to follow.
Win2day is operated by Austrian Lotteries, which was founded more than 50 years ago and holds the only licence to offer online casino gaming in the country. The brand has gained a rich heritage as a trusted name in the market, priding itself on being one of the industry’s most responsible operators.
Through this deal, the new and fiercely passionate provider is redefining what modern slot content looks like for local players.
For ScatterKings, every game stands as a testament to its philosophy – proven mechanics fused with genuine artistic vision. A true labour of love from battle-tested developers, the brand-new studio, years in the making, is channelling its expertise into games crafted with soul.
With a leadership team of seasoned industry veterans spanning years of experience, ScatterKings is primed to accelerate its global growth and continue building games that deliver non-stop thrills.
Steven Cross, CCO at ScatterKings, said: “Our launch with win2day is such a proud moment for us and it’s a partnership built on trust in both our vision and craft.
“Entering such an exclusive market is a powerful endorsement of the quality and personality our content brings. We’re here to deliver premium entertainment to players under the most respected regulatory standards.”
Georg Wawer, Managing Director at win2day, said: “As Austria’s only licensed online gambling operator, it is our responsibility to offer players exclusively high-quality, secure and fully compliant gaming content. With ScatterKings, we welcome a highly innovative partner whose technological excellence and creative strength perfectly match our uncompromising standards.
“The studio’s games are optimised to meet the strictest player protection requirements, ensuring that every title on our platform delivers not only great entertainment but also the highest level of safety and responsibility. Their growing portfolio will be a valuable and exciting addition to win2day.”
The post ScatterKings adds sugar-coated spin to Austria with bespoke win2day partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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