Is online casino allowed in Switzerland? The answer is yes, but not every one. This is because since the summer of 2019, it has been possible for licensed casinos to obtain an extension licence for online operations. So most online casinos are banned in Switzerland and very few are legal.
Don’t feel like reading much? Then here is our video on the subject:
The legal online casinos in Switzerland are the following:
| Name of the legal casino | Award of the concession |
| Casino Baden | 07.06.2019 |
| Casino Davos | 07.06.2019 |
| Casino Pfäffikon | 07.06.2019 |
| Casino Lucerne | 07.06.2019 |
| Casino Bern | 20.11.2019 |
| Casino Interlaken | 20.11.2019 |
| Casino Meyrin | 29.04.2020 |
| Casino Lugano | 29.04.2020 |
| Casino Neuchâtel | 25.11.2020 |
These casinos operate the online casinos under “brand names”. For example, the online casino“777” is an offer from the → Casino in Davos. And the“Jackpots” Casino part of the Grand Casino Baden. Here you will find the currently available providers in the form of the brand names with the offered casino bonus clearly listed. All casinos in this list are, as mentioned, allowed and legal in Switzerland:
100% up to CHF1'000 + 1040 Cash Spins
🏆 TEST WINNER! 🥇 Minimum deposit 20 CHF, free spins come at 20 per week for a full year (!), value per free spin CHF0.10, turnover requirements: 30x for slots, 300x for table games and live. TOP CASINO.
100% up to CHF777 + 100 free spins
🏆 TOP PROVIDER! 🥈 Topbonus! Regular promotions. Casino bonus on first deposit 100% up to CHF777. Bonus conditions are fair. Stately 6 months to implement (normally only 30 days!). Top. Tip: Deposit at least CHF20.
100% up to CHF 1'000 + up to 200 free spins
🏆 TOP PROVIDER! 🥉 Top bonus over 4 deposits and cancelable. Excellent conditions. FREE CHF20 after verification - use the code: "Jackback" in the coupon field. Furthermore: Casino bonus: 1st deposit: 100% up to CHF 1'000 + up to 200 free spins, 2nd deposit: 50% up to CHF 500, 3rd deposit 75% up to CHF 600, 4th deposit 100% up to CHF 700. Fabulous! And a crystal clear recommendation. Tip: Pay in at least CHF 20.
100% up to CHF900
Bonus on the first deposit. Excellent conditions (30 times turnover conditions on bonus amount)! FREE CHF 15 + 50 freespins (value: CHF 10) after verification.
100% up to CHF300 + 200 FS
35 times wagering requirements on bonus amount. With deposit of at least CHF 20 you will receive 200 free spins in portions of 50 spins each over 4 days. There are *no* wagering requirements on the winnings from the freespins.
When are online casinos banned in Switzerland? When legal?
Online Casino Switzerland illegal or legal? The answer is actually quite simple to give. Online casinos are only legal in Switzerland if they have a state licence to operate online gambling.
Indeed, on 1 January 2019, following a referendum, the → Money Gambling Act (Swiss Government Portal / Money Gambling Act, 10.06.2018) came into force in Switzerland. This stipulates that the 21 existing casinos in Switzerland are to be given the opportunity to legally offer games of chance on the Internet.
In order to be able to do so, casinos need a so-called → licence extension (Federal Council, 20.11.2019), which is granted by the Federal Council. In addition, a licence from the Swiss Federal Gaming Board is required. Only then can we get started.
How players benefit
As a player, you benefit several times over when you play at a legal online casino:
- Address in Switzerland. You know who you are dealing with and in case of disputes, known laws apply and legal recourse is inexpensive.
- Money remains in Switzerland for the most part. Although some providers in Switzerland still need help from abroad, the profits remain with the Swiss company and are also taxed here.
- Reliable and safe. No need to worry about games being rigged here.
- High player protection. You benefit from a high level of player protection based on Swiss standards rather than the very lax and ineffective guidelines of Mediterranean or Caribbean countries.
- Your winnings are secure. Most of the time, with banned online casinos, it is only when you win big that it becomes apparent that you should not have been gambling in the first place. Convenient for the online casino, which then declares your game void with reference to its terms and conditions and does not have to pay out the winnings. You can avoid this with legal Swiss providers.
By the way, here you can find directly best online casinos Switzerland.
Currently permitted online casinos
On 7 June 2019, the Federal Council extended the licences of the Baden, Davos, Pfäffikon and Lucerne casinos to include the right to offer gambling on the internet. Then, on July 5, 2019, the casino in Baden launched Switzerland’s first online casino. And 22 August 2019 followed Lucerne, then Pfäffikon on 2 September and Davos on 9 September.
On 20 November, the Casino Bern and Interlaken also followed suit. On February 24, 2020, Interlaken first went to market with its online offering, followed by Casino Bern on September 15, 2020.
This was followed on 29 April by a licence extension for the Meyrin and Lugano casinos. These went online on November 16, 2020 and March 1, 2021.
On 25 November 2020, Casino Neuchâtel also received an extension to its concession.
The question of whether online casinos Switzerland are forbidden or legal, therefore, no longer needs to be asked. Because in these online casinos, it is legal to indulge in online gambling. Listed here again in full for simplicity:
CHF 20 + 20 free spins FREE after verification
- 30x turnover conditions
- Great bonus
- 20CHF Free after verification
CHF 10 FREE + weekly 20 free spins FREE after verification
- High casino bonus
- Legal and reputable
- 6 months time
CHF 20 FREE after verification (Code: Jackback)
- Casino bonus on 4 deposits
- First deposit 100% up to CHF 1'000 + free spins
- Code: "Jackback" for CHF20 free of charge
CHF 15 FREE + 50 free spins (value: CHF 10) after verification
- Up to CHF 1007 bonus
- Legal in Switzerland
- Regular bonus promotions
100% up to CHF300 + 200 FS
- Regular promotions
- Great game selection
- Free telephone service
100% up to CHF300.-
- Average bonus
- CHF 30 bonus upon verification
- Legal and reputable
200% up to CHF600
- Deposit is TRIPLE
- No limit on the use!
- 30 days time to play through
Up to CHF300.-
- Generous bonuses over 4 payments!
- Bonus can be canceled
- 6 months (!) time to play through
Prohibited and illegal online casinos
Nevertheless, it is an old adage on the Internet that even illegal offers are only a single mouse click away. And of course foreign providers do not want to miss out on the lucrative market in Switzerland.
In this respect, it is not surprising that unfortunately many providers still try to gain a foothold with a gambling license that does not apply to Switzerland. We can only strongly warn against giving in to these offers.
Why you better not play in illegal casinos
There are several reasons for this:
- Licenses from shady states, such as Malta, are often → not very reliable ( Süddeutsche, 04.02.2019). They don’t really care about player protection and the licensing procedures are non-transparent.
- Your winnings will be cancelled. Because playing in these Maltese online casinos is not legal under Swiss law. At the latest, when they make profits, the online casino will also recognize this and cancel these winnings. So you run the risk of losing your bets at any time (because then there is no check), you would not be able to win any money (because then your address data is checked).
- In addition, you are liable to prosecution under Swiss law if you engage in prohibited gambling.
- The bonus offers of Swiss online casinos are also much more attractive than those of casinos with Maltese license.
- With Swiss online casinos, you know where your contact person is located. Since both contracting parties are resident in Switzerland, it is no problem to take legal action in the event of disputes. However, if your casino is located in a medium-serious island state, it is questionable whether it is worth suing it in case of doubt. After all, legal action abroad is very expensive.
- Swiss online casinos are operated by established casino companies . This is usually not the case with online casinos abroad. If you take a closer look, you will quickly find out that many of these casino companies are hiding behind cheap mailbox addresses. Whether anyone is to be found there at all is questionable.
- Last but not least, it should be noted that by playing in legal Swiss casinos, you support the local economy. This leads to tax revenues and jobs in Switzerland and a flourishing society.
So there are several good reasons not to take up the illegal offers from abroad. Online Casinos Switzerland forbidden or legal? Here at Bestecasinosschweiz.ch you will find at least only legal and in Switzerland approved online casinos. We put these providers through their paces and recommend the best ones. So check out one of our recommended online casinos right now. Simply scroll up and select an online casino from our list that suits you.
About the author: Alex Baumgartner
Hello! My name is Alex Baumgartner and I run the comparison portal Bestecasinosschweiz.ch.
I have been in the online gambling industry for many years and am the editor of the Gambling and Online Casino Compendium – a reference book on online casinos and gambling (ISBN: 9783744864473).
With over 10 years of experience in online gambling, I’ve seen almost everything before and am happy to pass this knowledge on to you.
My passion for online casinos is evident in my extensive testing, where I combine my enjoyment of the thrill of online casinos with my interest in sharing 100% objective experiences with you.