Swiss Casino and Card Room Gaming 102t2k

The Swiss casino market is open to competition. There are both local and international operators in the country. Companies such as Casinos Austria, Lucien Barrière, Groupe Trachant and Groupe Partouche have casinos in Switzerland.

Switzerland revamped its casino legislation in the year 2000. Casino licenses are divided into two groups: type A (large casinos without betting limits) and type B (casinos with stake limits, a maximum of 150 slot machines and three types of table games). In 2004, the Swiss government loosened the restrictions on type B casino prizes and payouts to help spark growth in the waning type B casino industry. The new law allowed for stakes to be raised from 5 to 25 Swiss francs and jackpots from 5,000 to 25,000 francs.

Poker was declared a game of skill by the Swiss Gaming Board, which resulted in a large number of poker games outside casinos. The Swiss Casino Association appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. In June 2010, the Swiss Supreme Court declared poker a game of chance and relegated it to casinos only.

The Swiss Federal Council has made significant decisions regarding the allocation of casino licenses starting from January 1, 2025. The new guidelines include the division of Switzerland into 23 zones, with a maximum of 23 licenses (10 type A and 13 type B).

Type A licenses require the location to generate gross gaming revenue (GGR) of more than CHF 30 million annually, typically necessitating a population of 300,000 within a 30-minute drive.

Type B licenses require a GGR of at least CHF 10 million annually, generally needing a population of 100,000 within a 30-minute drive, with exceptions for high tourist areas.

The new concessions will be awarded through an open procedure, allowing all interested parties to submit applications.