Switzerland has one of the most tightly controlled online casino markets in Europe. Since 2019 only Swiss casinos with a federal licence may offer casino games online, and foreign sites without that licence are blocked. This guide explains how the rules work, who supervises the market, how to check whether a site is licensed, how winnings are taxed and where you can get help if gambling stops being fun.
Is online gambling legal in Switzerland?
Yes, but only through operators licensed in Switzerland. The Federal Act on Gambling (Geldspielgesetz, BGS), approved in a national referendum in 2018 and in force since 1 January 2019, opened the online market for the first time. It did so in a limited way: online casino games may only be offered by casinos that already run a land-based Swiss casino and have received an extension of their concession for online play.
Lotteries and sports betting follow the same principle. Online versions are reserved for the two licensed lottery companies, Swisslos in the German and Italian speaking regions and Loterie Romande in the French speaking region.
For foreign operators the position is clear. Offering online gambling to people in Switzerland without a Swiss licence is prohibited, and so is advertising unauthorised gambling in Switzerland. As a player you do not commit a criminal offence by using an unlicensed site, but the federal authorities point out that stakes and winnings can be confiscated in criminal proceedings against the operator.
Who regulates online casinos in Switzerland?
Two authorities share supervision. The Federal Gaming Board (ESBK, Eidgenössische Spielbankenkommission) is responsible for casinos, including online casino games. It grants the online extensions, approves each game and supervises the operators. The intercantonal authority Gespa (formerly Comlot) supervises lotteries, sports betting and skill games.
Together, the ESBK and Gespa maintain the official blocking list. When a foreign site targets Swiss players without a licence, the authorities first ask it to stop. If it does not, its domain is added to the public list and Swiss internet providers must block access to it. The Federal Supreme Court confirmed this practice in 2023.
How can you check whether an online casino is licensed in Switzerland?
Checking takes a minute and is the most useful thing you can do before you register anywhere.
- Open the website of the Federal Gaming Board (esbk.admin.ch) and look for the list of authorised online casinos.
- Compare the exact domain you want to use with the domains on that list. A licensed Swiss online casino usually runs under a .ch domain linked to a named land-based casino.
- Check that the site footer names the Swiss casino company behind it and refers to its ESBK concession.
- Search the ESBK and Gespa blocking list for the domain. If it appears there, the site is not authorised in Switzerland.
- Remember that a licence from another country does not allow an operator to serve Swiss residents.
What protection do players get at licensed Swiss casinos?
Swiss law puts a strong focus on social protection. Licensed operators must have a programme to detect problem gambling, verify the identity of every player and step in when someone gambles beyond their means.
The central tool is the gambling exclusion (Spielsperre). A person who is excluded cannot play at any Swiss casino, either in a venue or online, and the lottery companies apply exclusions in the same way. You can request an exclusion yourself at any Swiss casino. Casinos must also impose one when a player appears addicted, over-indebted or is staking more than they can afford.
Licensed sites also give you tools to set deposit and loss limits, take breaks and see your playing history. None of these protections apply at a site without a Swiss licence.
- Identity checks before you can play for real money
- Spielsperre that applies across all Swiss casinos, online and offline
- Deposit, loss and time limits in your account settings
- Complaints handled by a supervisor based in Switzerland
What are the risks of unlicensed online casinos?
Sites on the blocking list are outside Swiss supervision. If a withdrawal is refused, an account is closed or a bonus term is applied unfairly, no Swiss authority can help you get your money back, and the foreign regulator named on the site may have little interest in a Swiss complaint.
Money staked or won at an unauthorised site can be confiscated if criminal proceedings are opened against the operator, and winnings from such sites are not covered by the tax exemptions described below. A Swiss Spielsperre also has no effect at these sites, which makes them especially risky for anyone trying to stop gambling.
Do you pay tax on gambling winnings in Switzerland?
Winnings at land-based Swiss casinos are tax free. Winnings from licensed Swiss online casino games, lotteries and sports betting are tax free up to 1 million Swiss francs per win, according to the Federal Office of Justice. Amounts above that threshold are subject to income tax.
The exemption only applies to games authorised under Swiss law, so winnings from unlicensed online casinos are generally treated as taxable income. If you have a large win, ask your cantonal tax office how to declare it.
Which payment methods do licensed Swiss casinos accept?
Licensed Swiss online casinos work in Swiss francs and usually accept TWINT, PostFinance, debit and credit cards and bank transfer. Some also accept prepaid vouchers such as paysafecard. Withdrawals are normally paid back to an account in your own name after your identity has been confirmed.
Where can you get help with gambling in Switzerland?
SOS Spielsucht, a service run on behalf of the cantons, offers a free and anonymous helpline on 0800 040 080 and online counselling at sos-spielsucht.ch. Every canton also runs specialist counselling, open to family members too.
If you want to stop playing, you can ask any Swiss casino to impose a Spielsperre. It covers all Swiss licensed casinos, including their online platforms, and it is lifted only after a formal review.
Myths vs facts
- Myth: A Malta or Curaçao licence is enough to offer online casino games in Switzerland.
- Fact: Only Swiss casinos with an extended ESBK concession may offer online casino games to Swiss residents. Foreign licences do not count, and such sites can be added to the blocking list.
- Myth: All gambling winnings in Switzerland are tax free.
- Fact: Land-based casino winnings are tax free, and licensed online, lottery and betting wins are tax free up to CHF 1 million. Larger wins and winnings from unlicensed sites can be taxed as income.
- Myth: A Spielsperre only applies to the casino where you requested it.
- Fact: An exclusion applies across all Swiss casinos, both in venues and online, and the lottery companies honour it too.
- Myth: Players are prosecuted for using foreign online casinos.
- Fact: Using an unauthorised site is not a criminal offence for the player, but stakes and winnings can be confiscated in proceedings against the operator, and you lose all Swiss player protection.
Before you claim
- The domain appears on the ESBK list of authorised online casinos
- The domain is not on the ESBK and Gespa blocking list
- The footer names a Swiss land-based casino and its concession
- Deposits and withdrawals are in Swiss francs to an account in your name
- Deposit, loss and time limits are available in your account
- You know how to request a Spielsperre if you need one
- You have the SOS Spielsucht number saved: 0800 040 080