Switzerland approves first egaming licences
Four land-based casinos granted licences ahead of launch of egaming operations in July
Switerland’s National Council has approved the country’s first egaming licences, following applications from four land-based casinos in the country.
Licences were awarded to the Grand Casino Baden, Casino Davos, Grand Casino Luzern and Casino Zürichsee, following the submission of applications earlier this year.
These licences were provisionally granted by the Swiss regulator Eidgenössische Spielbankenkommission (ESBK), but formal approval is required from the Swiss National Council before any licences could be awarded.
Under the Swiss Money Gaming Act, all online casino games are required to be designed to be accompanied by appropriate measures to protect players against gambling-related harm. Switzerland’s land-based are treated as financial intermediaries under Swiss law and are subject to the Swiss Money Laundering Act.
Switzerland’s land-based casinos were granted a six-year exclusivity period in applying for licences by the Money Gaming Act, which prohibits international operators from applying for licences during this time.
In July, measures to prohibit international operators entering the Swiss market come into force, allowing the Swiss government to block the ISP of any international egaming operator it deems to be targeting Swiss citizens.
In addition to this, the Swiss government has put in place measures which would only allow Swiss casinos to sign distribution and commercialisation agreements with external suppliers and partners who have not targeted the Swiss market during the last five years.
However, the so-called “good reputation” clause has yet to be formalised and published by the ESBK.