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Everything you need to know about betting in Switzerland

Before getting into the betting frenzy in Switzerland, one needs to learn gambling laws to avoid falling on the wrong side of the government provisions. The legal gambling age in Switzerland is 18 years. The Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority, the designated gambling authority in Switzerland enforces this requirement.

Since each canton is independent, each canton has a responsibility to supervise betting activities and grant licenses. It is important to find a licensed betting site to practice betting. This is due to a directive given to internet service providers to block access to all unlicensed betting sites.

Switzerland players’ favorite sports to bet on

The majority of the people in Switzerland participate in sports regularly. Placing a bet when watching is a thrilling activity done by sports lovers. Betting is especially when watching a close game almost at the end. Everybody cheering their team to give their best to win and maybe prove their prediction right. Here are some of the sports players in Switzerland love betting on.

Football (soccer)

Like the majority of Europe, many Swiss people love football. Players like placing bets during the weekend which is when many matches are played. It is always exciting to watch a football match and maybe place a live bet in the process.

Basketball

International Basketball Federation headquarters are in Mies, Switzerland. The country is one of the organization’s founding members. The country was once a major force in the basketball international tournaments. Although they are not as good as they were some years back, people still love the sport. There is still a large population of people in Switzerland placing bets on basketball.

Tennis

Swiss players Stan Wawrinka, Martina Hingis, and Roger Federer have been doing well in tennis over the last few decades. Each of those Swiss tennis players has a Grand Slam singles title. The performance of those star players has led people in Switzerland to love the sport and even place bets on it.

Payment methods in Switzerland

Swiss authorities have not given any rules to restrict local banking from conducting online transactions. Here are some of the deposit methods accepted by betting sites in Switzerland.

Neteller: This e-wallet was established in 2000. This is a popular option for bettors around the globe since it is compatible with a majority of online betting sites. Players love using Neteller due to its ability to conduct instant deposits to betting accounts. This is a favorable option for any player who would like to participate in live betting.
Bitcoin: The currency of the internet is the modern way to perform deposits and withdrawals in betting sites. It is the leading cryptocurrency in the world. Many players in the world prefer using Bitcoin due to its assured security and anonymity while conducting transactions. In this way, a player's card and bank information are protected when transacting online.
MasterCard: MasterCard processes millions of transactions every day. It is commonly used by players to do online transactions on betting websites. MasterCard debit and credit cards are some of the most used methods of payment due to their convenience and availability. One of the advantages of using MasterCard in online betting sites is the level of security it gives.

History of betting in Switzerland

Betting was and still is a fun activity done during sports. People placed bets on their best horses and teams to win. This made watching an event more exciting. The thrill to have a correct prediction can never be avoided. One feels like a god after a successful bet. In Switzerland, betting was legally done on all sports up until 1921. All kinds of gambling were officially prohibited in Switzerland in 1921. The ban stayed in place until 1993.

The new legislation never fully overturned the ban. Only limited-stakes casino gambling was allowed. The Casino Act was later passed in 1998. Land-based casinos were then allowed to provide gambling services to customers. Punters within Switzerland were given the freedom to wager with unlimited stakes when gambling in casinos. The new laws attracted many people to gambling.

Currently, about a fifth of the population actively takes part in gambling activities. The population of people involved in gambling increases every time favorable laws are passed. The 1998 Act was just the beginning of a better future for gambling. Technology has largely improved and pushed governments to pass laws accepting new betting models. For instance, a lot of people prefer online gambling to land-based gambling which was not allowed in the 1998 Act.

Betting nowadays in Switzerland

Betting nowadays can be practiced from anywhere in the world as long as one is connected to the internet. Tremendous improvements in technology have led to better access to betting platforms. Punters can now participate in eSport betting and local sports betting. Online gambling laws in Switzerland were enhanced in 2013 after a review was conducted by the Swiss regulatory body.

However, online casinos and online gambling are technically illegal within Switzerland. Still, Switzerland is unable to effectively force a ban on online gambling. Players from Switzerland are encouraged to use legal international betting sites to completely avoid trouble with the government.

People betting at unlicensed betting sites are advised to stop such practices or use a Virtual Private Network to avoid the wrong side of the authority. Most of the online betting sites in Switzerland have valid online gambling licenses from the Maltese Gaming Authority or the UK’s Gambling Commission. Players are advised to use online betting sites with such licenses.

As long as an online betting site has a valid online gambling license, one should not have any problems when betting with them. Players should try to find a legal betting site with great payment methods and favorable betting odds.

Future of betting in Switzerland

The different modes of gambling in the country have proven to be very profitable to the Swiss government, mostly through tax payment. It's time the Swiss government did something to make online gambling more favorable to the people. Online betting in Switzerland is not what one would call completely legal. Despite the review done in 2013, the country has not placed direct law on the practice.

The country should try and place a direct law allowing online gambling in the country. Giving licenses to online betting websites will help increase the gambling population. This will in turn increase the amount of revenue the government gets from gambling. Switzerland should also allow international betting sites to hold licenses. Progressive technology development makes allowing online gambling inevitable.

Change in the country has already begun. This is through the establishment of a new regulatory body, the Swiss Gambling Authority. The state monopoly and the strictness in the licensing system are yet to change. Switzerland respects the citizens' opinions and gives them a chance to vote on betting laws. The latest referendum was done in 2018. The referendum led to the implementation of the Money Gaming Act. Such referendums are expected in the future to ease betting laws and legalize online betting in Switzerland.

As more and more laws are eased, online betting will become the only viable model in the country and many physical shops will close down. E-sport gambling is also a very viable betting field going into the future.

Are casinos legal in Switzerland?

Switzerland has a long history of gambling that swings between banning the practice and allowing it. Gambling in Switzerland was introduced by the Ancient Roman Empire. Rome banned all games of chance. Exceptions were put in place for celebrations and festivals. In the 1920s, Switzerland banned gambling. Only specific areas that used casinos to support tourism were allowed to conduct business. Such casinos were restricted to only offer low-stakes games.

In 1993, they passed a referendum that allowed casinos to generate revenue. This was after the government got a crisis in paying healthcare for the aging population in the country. A Federal Act on Games of Chance and Casinos was passed in 1998. The law formed the Swiss Federal Gaming Board, prohibited online gambling, and added the casino referendum to the Constitution.

The new Federal Act on Money Games was approved in 2018. The Federal Act on Money Games took effect in 2019. Although the law on participating in online casinos is somewhat unclear, it is correct to say gambling is completely legal in Switzerland. Online players should try and find licensed online betting sites to carry out their activities. Online sports betting in Switzerland is done through one of the two lottery organizations in the country.

Betting Legislation in Switzerland

Betting in Switzerland is overseen by different bodies elected by the government. The betting authorization bodies help the government to issue licenses and collect revenue. They also see to it that all betting sites follow the rules stated in betting acts. Betting in the country is mainly overseen by the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority. The supervisory body regulates digital betting in the country. The regulatory body also helps supervise and regulate sports and horse race betting done online.

Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority regulates automated and intercantonal betting done in land-based betting shops. Small games that are neither intercantonal nor automated are supervised and regulated by cantonal authorities. There is no special body in Switzerland tasked to help regulate social gaming, e-gaming, and fantasy betting. Such instances are solved on a case-by-case option whether a game or a bet qualifies as a small scale, large scale, or a casino game under the casino gaming regulations in Switzerland.

Apart from supervising authorized large-scale gambling, the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority helps fight illegal gambling in the country. The regulatory body conducts regulatory investigations on suspected betting companies within its area of responsibility. The supervisory and regulatory body is also the center of expertise for all the cantons on gambling-related issues.

Betting Acts in Switzerland

Modern Switzerland laws on gambling began in the early 1920s. The first gambling Act in the country was passed in 1923. That is when the Lotteries and Commercial Betting Act was passed. The Act prohibited lotteries in the country. Cantons were given authority to permit lotteries only for public benefit.

In 1929, the Gambling Houses Act was passed. The Act prohibited casinos in the country. Only casinos that were used in specific areas to support tourism were left open. Those casinos were also limited to only offer low stake games. Switzerland had a financial crisis in 1993 and was forced to find an alternative to collect revenue. A referendum was passed that allowed casinos generate tax revenue.

In 1998, the Federal Act on Games of Chance and Casinos was passed. This law, created the Swiss Federal Gaming Board, prohibited online gambling in Switzerland, and added casino referendum to the Swiss Constitution.

In 2018, Switzerland voters approved the Federal Act on Money Games. This was done through a referendum conducted in the country. The law gave land-based casinos authority to operate online casinos. Internet providers were also forced to block access to all foreign casino sites. Foreign betting sites must partner with local betting companies to be used in Switzerland. The Federal Act on Money Games took effect in 2019.

FAQ

Is betting legal in Switzerland?

Yes. The latest law on gambling states that players should use operators equipped with a local license. Players are also not prosecuted for using betting sites licensed abroad.

Where can blacklisted betting sites be found?

All the blacklisted betting sites in Switzerland are published on the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority's official website. Visit their official website to check on any updates on the blacklisted betting sites before registering.

How can one get support from online betting sites?

Each online betting site has a support page that provides support to its users. It is easy to find fast answered questions on a betting website. Some betting sites also offer live chats where players can get help.

Can one Bet on Sports That Are Not Popular?

There are different types of sports available on betting sites. Players are encouraged to look at whether a betting site offers their preferred sport before registering. Different betting sites offer different sports. Most online sites have even those not-so-popular games in their catalogs.

Most Popular Bookies in Switzerland