German Merkur Group to Bid for Austria's Casino Licenses

German gambling group Merkur, previously known as Gauselmann, has announced its intention to bid for Austria's upcoming casino licenses. Merkur managers David Schnabel and Max Rösle confirmed the plan in an interview with the magazine trend, stating their readiness to "throw their hat in the ring."

Despite the application process being unclear, the Austrian market remains of significant interest to Merkur. Schnabel expressed optimism for a transparent, Europe-wide tender with well-defined rules. Merkur is interested in all available casino licenses and intends to pursue them independently, without any partners.

This move follows a previous attempt by Gauselmann ten years ago, which resulted in a write-off of 50 million euros. Merkur considers that past experience closed, focusing instead on a forward-looking approach. The company anticipates the official tender announcement in the fall.