Erwin van Lambaart heads Casinos Austria, the group behind Austria’s casinos and national lottery. He took the top job in April 2022 after six years leading Holland Casino. He also chairs the European Casino Association (ECA), a trade group for land-based casinos across Europe.
Who Is Erwin van Lambaart?
He comes from Rotterdam and was born in June 1963. He studied hospitality at Hotelschool The Hague. Then he spent about 30 years in hotels, theater, and media before moving into gaming.
Today he is General Director, the CEO role, at Casinos Austria. He also chairs Österreichische Lotterien, Austria’s national lottery. That puts casinos, lottery draws, and online play under one leader.
Erwin van Lambaart Before Gaming: Hotels and Theater
His first hotel management job came in 1985. Later, he ran economy hotels in Holland for Accor.
Between 1998 and 2011, he ran the Dutch arm of theater producer Stage Entertainment. After that, he ran Dutch firm Niehe Media and two event companies. A Dutch knighthood followed in 2016, honoring his live entertainment and charity work.
| Year | Milestone |
| 1998-2011 | Runs Stage Entertainment’s Dutch theater business |
| 2016 | Takes charge of Holland Casino; knighted at home |
| 2022 | Moves to Vienna to lead the Casinos Austria group |
| 2023 | Voted in as ECA chair |
| 2024 | Wins a top executive award in London |
Leading Holland Casino Through Big Changes
Van Lambaart spent six years running Holland Casino, the Dutch state-owned operator, starting in 2016. Industry sources credit him with guiding a restructuring and growing the brand at home. His tenure also spanned pandemic closures and the Dutch online market launch in October 2021.
Erwin van Lambaart at Casinos Austria
In late 2021, Casinos Austria chose him as Bettina Glatz-Kremsner’s successor. He took his board seat in mid-March 2022. Two weeks later, on April 1, he became General Director.
For 2023, the group reported €1.48 billion in gross gaming revenue, up about 4.5%. Net profit rose roughly 18% to €182.9 million.
Licensing is his next big test. The group’s Austrian licenses expire between 2027 and 2030, and it plans to bid for all of them. In August 2026, Austria sent the EU a draft law that caps casino licenses at 13.
Chairing Europe’s Casino Trade Body
In 2021, Erwin van Lambaart won an ECA board seat. In February 2023, every member backed him for the top job at London’s ICE trade show.
Today the group speaks for over 700 casinos with a combined staff of 70,000-plus.
He has also built closer ties with the American Gaming Association. In October 2024, the ECA, AGA, and UK Betting and Gaming Council signed a pact against illegal gambling. Their first joint roundtable with regulators and police followed in June 2025.
Erwin van Lambaart’s Take on Black-Market Gambling
In July 2026, he presented ECA research on illegal gambling at the European Parliament. It put unlicensed online gambling that targets EU players at €91.6 billion for 2025. In his view, heavy regulation pushes players toward these unprotected sites.
He also backs strict player protection for ECA members. He sees online sports betting as a higher risk for players aged 18 to 24. In the US, our responsible gambling guide covers deposit limits and self-exclusion.
| Topic | Europe (ECA View) | United States |
| Who writes gambling law | Each country | Each state |
| Typical minimum age | 18 | 21 for most casino play |
| Rules that apply everywhere | EU privacy (GDPR) and anti-money laundering laws | Federal laws such as the Wire Act and UIGEA |
Why US Casino Players Should Know His Name
Van Lambaart often compares Europe’s country-by-country model to the American system. The match is close, since US gambling laws also change from state to state. For example, online casino rules in New Jersey look nothing like those in states with no legal online play.
His fight against black-market sites carries a clear lesson: check a site’s license before you deposit. Our guide on how to tell if a casino is safe covers the warning signs. Or start with our reviewed list of legal real money online casinos.
The Bottom Line
Erwin van Lambaart carries a hotel manager’s focus on guests into a tightly regulated business. Like Caesars CEO Tom Reeg, he runs a group built on land-based venues that keeps growing online. Watch the Austrian license tender and his work with the AGA for his next moves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Erwin van Lambaart?
He is a Dutch gaming executive who leads Casinos Austria, the country’s casino and lottery group. He also heads the ECA, Europe’s main casino trade body. Before that, he led Holland Casino for six years after a long career in hotels and entertainment.
When did Van Lambaart join Casinos Austria?
He took a seat on the group’s board in mid-March 2022, then became its General Director on April 1. A selection committee backed him without dissent after reviewing three finalists. The role puts him over Austria’s casinos, lotteries, and the win2day online platform.
What did Van Lambaart do before gaming?
His first decade and a half went to hotels, including senior roles at Accor. A similar stretch in live entertainment came next, running Stage Entertainment’s Dutch business and later Niehe Media. He also held a seat on Stage Entertainment’s global leadership team, where he oversaw content.
Does Van Lambaart still lead the ECA?
Yes, ECA members picked him for the role without opposition on February 7, 2023, during ICE week in London. He took over from Per Jaldung, chair since 2015. The ECA confirmed him for another term in 2024, and he still spoke as chair in July 2026.
What awards has Erwin van Lambaart won?
London’s 2024 Global Gaming Awards EMEA named him Executive of the Year. A panel of industry judges from several countries picked him. He also holds the Order of Orange-Nassau, a Dutch knighthood he received for entertainment and charity work.
