Philippe Close denies any conflict in the casino case 

Following the suspension of the licence awarded to ECK, the parent company of Napoleon Games, Philippe Close has rejected allegations of a conflict of interest whilst considering stepping aside from future decisions concerning this contract. 

Philippe Close is considering stepping aside, but stands by his position 

Philippe Close may step aside from the particularly sensitive matter of the Brussels casino licence. At the municipal council meeting, the Socialist mayor announced that he would consult the city’s lawyers to determine whether he should take part in future decisions. However, according to him, this potential withdrawal does not constitute an admission of a conflict of interest. 

“There was no conflict of interest on my part within the meaning of the law or the applicable ethical rules. This does not alter the fact that we must be mindful of the requirements for transparency,” he explained, before announcing that he would consult with the city’s lawyers regarding his possible involvement in future decisions. 

The Council of State upends the casino timetable 

The crisis stems from the decision taken at the end of August by the Council of State to suspend the award of the Brussels casino licence. 

The City had selected ECK, a company linked to Napoleon Games, to operate the casino for fifteen years from 1 January 2027. This company had been chosen over five other candidates, including Viage, the casino’s current operator. 

Viage challenged this decision and appealed to the Council of State. The resulting suspension now places the City in a particularly delicate situation: with just a few months to go before the current licence expires, no new operator has yet been definitively appointed to take over the business at the start of 2027. 

Viage’s current concession is due to expire on 31 December 2026. The continued operation of the casino, several hundred jobs and significant revenue for the public purse are at stake. According to information presented at the municipal council meeting, revenue from the concession currently stands at around 4.7 million euros and could reach nearly 10 million euros in the future. The market as a whole is estimated to be worth around 750 million euros over the duration of the licence. 

The link with Anderlecht at the heart of the allegations 

One of the main criticisms levelled at Philippe Close concerns his role at Sporting Anderlecht. The Mayor of Brussels sits on the football club’s board of directors. However, Napoleon Games – whose parent company was awarded the suspended licence – is a major commercial partner of the club. 

Several opposition councillors believe this situation should have led Philippe Close to recuse himself from the process well before the contract was awarded. 

Benoît Hellings, a Green councillor and former coalition partner of Philippe Close, questioned the mayor directly on this point. He criticises him for failing to declare a potential conflict of interest when Napoleon Games emerged as one of the candidates for the concession. He also believes that Philippe Close and the members of his cabinet should have recused themselves from the various stages of the process. 

The Green councillor considers that the problem goes beyond the mayor’s personal situation. In his view, the procedure itself raises serious questions regarding transparency and equality among the various candidates. 

“You’ve been playing Russian roulette with the council’s finances,” he told Philippe Close. 

Bruno Bauwens, a PTB municipal councillor, also emphasised the mayor’s dual role. He reminded him that he was both the head of Brussels and a director of a club of which Napoleon Games is a major partner, whilst also having chaired the committee that awarded the concession. 

Mourad Maimouni, a TFA-BXL+ councillor, also criticised the handling of the matter. A former aide to the mayor, he spoke of an “enormous blunder” and a lack of vigilance. 

The issue of servers is the focus of criticism 

Beyond Philippe Close’s role at Sporting Anderlecht, another aspect of the case is raising questions: the inclusion, in the evaluation of Napoleon Games’ bid, of a possible transfer to Brussels of servers linked to online gaming. 

For opponents, this element is problematic because the tender specifications concerned the operation of a physical casino in Brussels. Benoît Hellings therefore believes that the other bidders could not have known that such a commitment would be likely to be given weight in the evaluation. 

Philippe Close defends the tender preparation process 

In response to the criticism, Philippe Close rejects the idea that the award was made in haste or without proper oversight. He states that preparations for the tender process began as early as the start of 2025, whilst the new licence was due to come into force in 2027. 

The mayor also emphasises that the analysis was not based solely on a political decision. He refers to the examination of around 250 documents, involving the Land Agency, the legal department, lawyers and experts from finance&invest.brussels. 

“This working group submitted its analysis to the College. It was then the College that selected the successful tenderer,” he explained. 

On the thorny issue of the servers, he also assured that no discussions had taken place with the Brussels government prior to the award of the contract. 

“Neither the College nor any of its members had any formal or informal contact with members of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region regarding the transfer of the servers prior to the award of the contract,” he stated. 

Benoît Hellings wants access to the documents 

Benoît Hellings has announced his intention to examine the tenders and documents in the file. In particular, he wishes to gain a better understanding of the composition and functioning of the evaluation panel. The Green councillor also wants to examine how certain recommendations were taken into account in the analysis of the bids. 

Philippe Close, for his part, points out that the bids are confidential but may be consulted by local councillors in the course of their duties. 

A step aside that does not end the controversy 

Philippe Close’s decision to consult lawyers regarding his possible withdrawal from forthcoming decisions appears to be an attempt to safeguard the remainder of the proceedings against further challenges. For the mayor, this is a measure of prudence and transparency, not an admission of guilt. 

For his opponents, however, it raises a new question: if the risk of a conflict of interest now justifies his possible recusal, why was this precaution not taken earlier? 

Benoît Hellings believes, moreover, that the most effective way to dispel suspicions would be for Philippe Close to step down from his role at Sporting Anderlecht. 

The mayor does not share this view and continues to formally deny the existence of a conflict of interest.