Switzerland prepares online gambling blacklist
First operators have received cease and desist letters ahead of launch
Swiss regulators are readying the country’s first blacklist of online operators ahead of the introduction of new legal framework in Switzerland on 1 July.
Under the proposed framework, regulators from the Federal Gaming Commission (ESBK) and the Lotteries and Betting Commission (Comlot) will issue cease and desist letters to online operators. The names of these operators will then be published in the Swiss national gazette.
All affected operators will be required to put so-called ‘do not serve’ (DNS) notices on their websites, denying access to Swiss players. These sites are required to be blocked by Swiss domiciled internet service providers by law.
EGR understands that the first cease and desist letters have already been issued to operators, although the names of the first blacklisted operators are not expected to be published until Q3 or even until Q4 2019.
Operators continuing to offer online gambling without a licence in Switzerland can face fines of up to CHF500,000 (£400,000) or up to five years in prison. Any operator who receives a cease and desist letter can challenge the decision within 30 days of receipt of the letter.
Thus far, licences have only been issued to Switzerland’s four land-based casinos, Grand Casino Baden, Casino Davos, Grand Casino Luzern and Casino Zürichsee.
Nordic operator Paf will provide the tech for Grand Casino Luzern.
Under the Swiss Money Gaming Act, land-based casinos operating in Switzerland have a six-year exclusivity period of online gambling operations, under which all international egaming operators are barred from applying for licences.