Why Marc Coucke is involved in the Brussels Casino case
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25 Sep 2026 •
Reading time: 4 minutes
The future of the Brussels Casino remains in the balance pending a decision by the City Council following the intervention of the Council of State. At the heart of this deal, estimated to be worth around 750 million euros over fifteen years, several high-profile names feature in Napoleon Games’ bid, including Marc Coucke and former world chess champion Gary Kasparov.
A decision suspended by the Council of State
On 17 July, the City of Brussels’ council had selected ECK to take over the casino concession for fifteen years. The bid from Viage, the current operator, had not been accepted. However, at the end of August, the Council of State suspended this decision. Several factors used to evaluate the bids had not been sufficiently or clearly justified.
The City must now choose between several options: confirm its decision by providing further justification, carry out a new evaluation of the bids, or restart the procedure. Nearly 300 jobs are directly affected, as are significant revenues for Brussels’ finances.
Marc Coucke features in the bid in several ways
Marc Coucke is indirectly linked to the bid submitted by ECK, the parent company of Napoleon Games. In particular, the bidder planned to rely on the company Het Witte Paard to organise some of the entertainment at the future casino.
This company is 49 per cent owned by Alychlo, Marc Coucke’s holding company. The remaining 51 per cent belongs to Ben Van den Keybus, who himself signed a letter of support for the bid.
Another link has attracted attention: Marc Coucke holds a 70 per cent stake in Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, whilst Napoleon Games sponsors the club. Philippe Close, the mayor of Brussels, is also a director of the club. These connections have fuelled criticism from those who believe the mayor should have recused himself from the matter before the decision was taken in July.
Those close to Philippe Close reject the allegations of a conflict of interest. One source argues that it is difficult for the Mayor of Brussels not to know any of the key players involved in a matter of this importance.
“You could level this false accusation at Philippe Close regarding virtually any candidate,” says this source, pointing out that the mayor has also known other groups active in the sector for a long time.
The theory of a link to the Neo project
Another theory has been circulating in certain political circles: the City is said to be seeking to bring Marc Coucke on board with the Neo project at Heysel, in the hope that he might one day invest in it. There is no evidence to link this hypothesis to the casino case. Among the mayor’s entourage, this idea is even described as ‘far-fetched’.
The Region has granted a loan of over 50 million euros to the new version of the Neo project. However, there is no evidence at this stage to suggest that the City needs Marc Coucke to see this project through, nor that such a prospect would have influenced the awarding of the casino licence.
Gary Kasparov, an unexpected supporter
Another prestigious name features in the case: Gary Kasparov.
The former world chess champion provided a letter of recommendation to Napoleon Games. In this document, he raises the possibility of organising a major international chess competition in Brussels.
This prospect could have strengthened one of the bid’s arguments: attracting an international audience to Brussels and generating tourism benefits. Kasparov’s inclusion in the bid is all the more notable given that his fame extends far beyond the world of chess.
Philippe Close steps back from the limelight
In the face of the controversy, Philippe Close has distanced himself from the bid. It is now Councillor Nawal Ben Hamou who is overseeing it.
According to those close to her, this decision is specifically intended to put an end to recurring allegations of a conflict of interest. The Council of State, which was urgently asked to rule on the procedure, has not, however, ruled on the existence of a possible conflict of interest.
A race against time before 31 December
Behind the names of Marc Coucke, Gary Kasparov and the political debates, a far more pressing issue remains: that of the casino’s employees.
Nearly 300 people are still waiting to find out what will become of the establishment once the current licence expires. The date of 31 December is now the key deadline in this matter.
The City must therefore resolve a delicate dilemma: legally securing the award of a contract estimated at 750 million euros over fifteen years, addressing the criticisms surrounding the procedure, and preventing prolonged uncertainty from placing a further burden on the casino’s workers.