The Swiss market is regulated by the Federal Law on Money Games (BGS), which came into force on January 1, 2019 after the 2018 referendum.
The law for the first time allowed online formats with strict requirements for the protection of players and the targeted use of deductions.
Supervision is divided: ESBK (Eidgenössische Spielbankenkommission) oversees casinos and their online extensions, and Gespa (ex.
Comlot) - lotteries, sports betting and inter-cantonal/online products on behalf of the cantons.
Online casinos are allowed as an extension of the licenses of Swiss land casinos, when meeting the requirements for KYC/AML, responsible gambling and technical control.
To combat offshore sites, access blocking is in effect: Gespa and ESBK publish official domain blacklists, and Swiss providers are required to restrict access (DNS blocking); this practice is confirmed by judicial practice.
Chronological analysis of the formation and transformation of gambling in Switzerland: early salon practices and resort halls, the constitutional ban of 1874, the return of casinos at the end of the 20th century, the role of cantons in lotteries, the Montreux case and cultural plots, as well as the "digital turn" since 2019.
Learn more →What really regulated the Swiss laws of 1923 and 1998: lotteries and rates at the cantonal level, the return of licensed casinos at the federal level, types of A/B licenses, taxation in favor of AHV, standards of responsible play and how all this was combined by the new "money" law of 2019.
Learn more →Analysis of the Federal Law on Money Games of Switzerland 2019: goals and logic of the law, structure of supervision (ESBK and Gespa), admission of online casinos, rules for lotteries and bets, Responsible Gaming, AML/KYC, advertising, taxes and blocking illegal sites. Transition from "two laws" to a single modern architecture.
Learn more →Full analysis of the role of ESBK: licensing of casinos (types A/B), online extensions, control of the honesty of games and information security, AML/KYC and Responsible Gaming, taxation of GGR in favor of AHV, supervisory checks, sanctions and interaction with the cantonal regulator Gespa.
Learn more →Detailed analysis of Comlot's evolution into the inter-cantonal regulator Gespa: mandate and legal framework, who and what regulates (lotteries, bets, skill games), distribution of income for public purposes, Responsible Gaming, AML/KYC, advertising, online supervision and blocking, sanctions and a practical checklist for operators.
Learn more →How the Swiss model of online gambling works since 2019: admission only for local land-based casinos, strict supervision of ESBK/Gespa, blocking of "gray" sites, Responsible Gaming, AML/KYC, taxes, as well as permissible formats of partnerships with international providers and brands.
Learn more →We explain why in Switzerland unlicensed online casinos and bookmakers quickly disappear from access: legal grounds from 2019, the roles of ESBK and Gespa, the mechanics of block lists at telecom providers, the responsibility of operators and advertising platforms, as well as the practice of RG/AML and trends until 2030.
Learn more →How the Swiss casino tax works: progressive rate from ~ 40% and above (up to very high levels for large revenues), dependence on the volume of gross profit from games (GGR), type A/B differences, online segment after 2019, distribution of revenues (AHV, cantons), reporting, control and impact on the unit economy.
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