Switzerland's Blacklist of Online Gaming Operators
Published October 24, 2019 by Brett C
The Swiss Lottery and Betting Board (Comlot) recently added to its blacklist of online gambling domains in Switzerland. 16 new names have been included, bringing to 81 the total number of domain names blacklisted in the country.
In September 2019, Switzerland published a listing of blacklisted online gambling domains. The original list contained 65 iGaming operators. That list has been expanded to include an additional 16 iGaming operators which have no permission to serve Swiss bettors. The new list includes multiple names such as bet365, Betonline, Betlive, Bahigo207 and more.
Several names that were not included on the lottery index were added by the Swiss Federal Gaming Commission (ESBK). Additionally, this commission compiled a survey regarding online gambling conduct in Switzerland, detailed the ‘2017 Swiss Health Survey’. One of the notable findings from the survey reveals that 69% of Swiss players had gambled at least once in that year. Gambling in Switzerland is a popular pastime, with 48.2% of players preferring state lottery games, followed close in tow by private games and raffles at 14%. Table games followed at 8.6%, slot machines at 6.7%, gambling halls at 5.7%, sports betting at 4.5%, and online gambling platforms at 2.3%.
Survey Findings Indicate Decreased Demand for Gambling
During 2017, the survey found that gambling figures declined. The latest figures indicate that just 16.4% of players gamble at least once a month, down from 16.9% in 2012, and markedly lower than 18.0% from 2007. The regulatory bodies entrusted the survey to the Swiss Institute for Addiction and Health Research (ISGF) and data was compared to 2007 and 2012 findings. Some 18,832 respondents were included in the study. The 69% of respondents who admitted to gambling at least once before accounts for an estimated 4.4 million people. In terms of overall risk within the Swiss gambling population, the survey found that the online gambling component ranked highest in terms of problem gambling activity (22.1%). Next in line was sports betting at 14.3%, slot machine games at 13.8%, and table games at 11.5%.
The Swiss government is determined to provide strict controls within its regulatory framework for gambling activity. Citizens are highly restricted in terms of which gambling site they can access. All operators must hold a valid Swiss license. These new regulations came into effect in January 2019, but online gambling permits began rolling out in June 2019.
Responsible gaming conduct:
Gambling for real money is a risky proposition. Players are strongly advised to act responsibly, set a budget, and gamble only what they can afford to lose. Never borrow money to gamble with, and never chase losses. If problem gambling arises, players are urged to stop immediately and seek assistance.
