In Berck, an iconic seaside resort on the Opal Coast, the casino is not just a place of entertainment: it has become the focus of a complex legal tug-of-war, combining heritage issues, economic interests and conflicting court rulings.
A long-running dispute over a strategic building
The dispute between the municipality of Berck and the Partouche group is nothing new. For years, the casino operator has been running the establishment, a major contributor to local entertainment and tourism. But behind the slot machines and gaming tables, a legal issue has gradually come to the fore: ownership of the building.
The municipality believes that the casino should be returned to its ownership at the end of the public service delegation. For its part, the Partouche group defends the idea that it should remain the owner of the building. This divergence, which had been latent for a long time, crystallised when the end of Partouche’s operations became a certainty.
The Council of State enters the scene
Last summer, the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, provided the first decisive clarification. In a decision handed down in July, it ruled that the casino building should revert to the town of Berck as of 1 January 2026.
However, the decision did not definitively settle the dispute. The Conseil d’État reiterated a fundamental principle: the question of ownership is a matter for the courts, not the administrative courts. In other words, while the timetable seemed to have been set, the legal battle remained open.
Faced with the prospect of a transfer of ownership to the municipality, the Partouche group decided to act quickly. At the end of November, it referred the matter to the interim relief judge, a magistrate responsible for ruling in emergency situations.
The objective was clear: to prevent the town of Berck from taking irreversible action. In its application, the casino owner requested that the municipality be prohibited from signing, having signed, receiving, requesting or publishing any notarial deed that could result in a transfer of ownership. More broadly, he sought protection against any act likely to affect the right of ownership he claimed over the building.
A summary order with measured effects
The decision was handed down on Thursday. The interim relief judge partially ruled in favour of the Partouche group. Specifically, he ordered a freeze on all notarised deeds aimed at transferring ownership of the building, until such time as a judge rules on the merits of the case.
This decision may appear to be a victory for Partouche. But it is far from the end of the matter. The judge has not set a date for the forthcoming hearing, leaving it unclear how long the freeze will last.
Above all, the order contains a major subtlety: it does not prohibit the commune of Berck from pursuing other initiatives aimed at bringing the casino back into its ownership, as long as they fall within the scope of the Conseil d’État ruling.
This is where the balance of this new decision lies. While the notarial deeds have been suspended, the town retains the possibility of taking action in other areas. In this way, the municipality can continue to prepare for the casino’s future, in accordance with the supreme administrative decision.
For Berck, the stakes are high. It is a question of securing the transition to a new operation, while avoiding a legal faux pas that could weaken its position.
The planned arrival of a new operator
The casino’s future is already partly written. From 1 January 2026, operation is to be entrusted to the Belgian group Infiniti Casino, appointed under a public service delegation contract.
This point is central to the town’s communication. Contacted after the interim relief judge’s decision, the city council sought to reassure. It stated that it remained confident in the outcome of the case and stressed that the court’s order had no impact on the public service delegation contract.
According to the municipality, this contract explicitly provides for the takeover of all staff and the continuity of the public service mission. This message is intended to reassure employees, economic partners and residents alike.
The Berck casino case shows that the answers are never simple. Successive court rulings provide a framework, but also leave grey areas that can only be cleared up by a decision on the merits.