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Is online gambling legal in Switzerland?

RegulatedLicensed: online casino, sports betting, poker, lottery.Updated Research revised 6 Nov 2026 (Deep AI Scan of 76 official documents, first researched 6 Nov 2026).
Checked by our research teamChecked

How this page was researched

  1. Quick AI overview

    A first AI summary of the rules.

  2. Deep AI Scan

    Every question of our regulatory checklist, answered from 76 official documents: the law, the regulator's own pages and its register.

  3. Checked by our research team

    Every figure traced to the document and sentence that states it.

  4. Compliance reviewNext

    The full research report goes to our compliance team next.

  5. Expert review

    Dated here when a named expert has reviewed it.

Across every Switzerland page: 13 official websites, 105 pages cited, 249 sourced data points. See the sources

Request the research reportHow we research
PlayersOperatorsGet licensed
Yes

Online casino, poker, sports betting and lotteries are legal in Switzerland on licensed sites, and you must be 18. The ESBK lists the 10 licensed online casinos; sports betting and lotteries online come only from Swisslos and the Loterie Romande. Playing on a foreign site is not an offence for you, but it is not licensed, Swiss protections do not apply and the site is blocked.

Is a site licensed here?
What you can play online in Switzerland
ProductOnline
Online bettingLegal
Online casinoLegal
Online pokerLegal
LotteryLegal
Tax on winningsTax-freeMinimum age18Stake or loss limitYou set itSelf-exclusionNo maximumTemporary exitUp to 6 monthsTax on your winningsCHF 1,071,000 per win
Bonuses in SwitzerlandNo legal cap on wagering requirements: read the terms before you accept.

Allowed

  • Free play credits (welcome bonuses, free bets, free spins) once the supervisor has given prior consent and the conditions are clear and transparent ↗
  • Wagering requirements have no numeric limit; each promotion is judged case by case when the supervisor decides on consent ↗

Not allowed

  • Loans or advances to players by the operator ↗
  • Free play credits aimed at minors, at-risk or excluded persons, or offered in an obtrusive or misleading way ↗
  • Advertising unlicensed games, which is banned on every channel ↗

Gambling in Switzerland: what you need to know

Land-casino winnings are tax-free; online casino, lottery and betting wins are tax-free up to CHF 1,071,000 each (2026). An exclusion from play covers casino games, land and online, and online lotteries and betting.

Upcoming law change
The government consulted until 20 March 2026 on taxing large gambling winnings at the winner's tax domicile at the time of the win. It has not been sent to Parliament (as of 6 November 2026) and is not law.

What's legal online in Switzerland: casino, sports betting and poker

Online casino and slots

Only a Swiss land casino that holds a federal concession can run an online casino, and only after the Federal Council grants it an online extension. As of 6 November 2026 the ESBK lists 10 licensed online casinos, each with its own web address on the ESBK register. Online poker counts as a casino table game and is offered only by these casinos. Every casino game must pay back at least 80% and at most 100% of stakes.1

Sports betting

Only two organisers may offer sports betting: Swisslos for the German-speaking cantons and Ticino, and the Loterie Romande for the French-speaking cantons. Their online offers are Sporttip and Jouez Sport. You must be 18 or over to play online large games.2

Lottery

Large lotteries are open only to Swisslos and the Loterie Romande, which run Swiss Lotto, EuroMillions, scratch cards and electronic lotteries. Their net profits must go in full to public-benefit purposes such as culture, social affairs and sport.3

Unlicensed sites

Online games not licensed in Switzerland are blocked at DNS level by telecom providers, and advertising for them is banned. In practice blocked sites stay reachable through mirror sites on new domains, VPNs and alternative DNS resolvers, and the ESBK and Gespa both say so. The law does not penalise a player for using an unlicensed site, but you play at your own risk: no social-protection measures apply and payment of winnings is not guaranteed. The law has no basis for blocking payments.4

Minimum age: 18

You must be 18 to gamble online in Switzerland, for online casino, sports betting and lottery alike. The minimum age is 18 for casino games and for online lotteries and sports betting.

Tax on winnings: none

Land-casino winnings are tax-free; online casino, lottery and betting wins above CHF 1,071,000 (2026) are taxed

Winnings from casino games in a licensed land-based casino are tax-free. Single winnings from licensed online casino games and from large lotteries and sports betting are tax-free up to CHF 1,071,000 in 2026 (CHF 1,076,100 from tax year 2027); above that they are taxed as income and 35% withholding tax is deducted. Winnings from games not licensed in Switzerland are not covered by these exemptions.

How to check a site is licensed in Switzerland

There are approximately 10 licensed operators in Switzerland as of 6 Nov 2026.

Always verify a casino holds a valid Federal Gaming Board (ESBK) for casinos; intercantonal authority Gespa for lotteries and sports betting licence before depositing. Check the official register before signing up.

The official register of licensed sitesFederal Gaming Board (ESBK) for casinos; intercantonal authority Gespa for lotteries and sports betting's website

Prominent operators in Switzerland

jackpots.ch
mycasino.ch
swisscasinos.ch
casino777.ch
starvegas.ch

If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.

Red flags: how to spot an unlicensed site

  • Check the ESBK list of online casinos

    The ESBK publishes the 10 licensed online casinos with their web addresses. A casino site not on that list is not licensed in Switzerland.

  • Lotteries and betting only from Swisslos and the Loterie Romande

    Online lotteries and sports betting are licensed only to these two operators (Sporttip and Jouez Sport for betting).

  • Exclusion from play is available

    A licensed operator must offer an exclusion from play, which covers casino games and online lotteries and betting across Switzerland.

  • The online casino belongs to a Swiss land casino

    Every licensed online casino is the extension of a Swiss land-based casino concession; the ESBK list names the casino.

Which casinos & betting sites are licensed in Switzerland?

See the full official list of licensed operators and their authorised domains.

Licensed operators in Switzerland →
Operator watchlist
Check the blacklist of operators flagged in Switzerland.

Self-exclusion and problem-gambling help in Switzerland

National helpline

0800 040 080

National gambling helpline (published by Gespa) · Visit website

Self-exclusion schemeRegister: Swiss Casino Self-Exclusion (Spielsperre)

Registering blocks your access to the licensed operators the scheme covers, for the period the scheme sets.

Set your limits before you play. If gambling stops being fun, stop and talk to someone.

Compare with other countries →

Complaints and disputes in Switzerland

  1. 1

    1. Contact the Operator Directly

    The first step for any dispute regarding payouts, bet settlements, or account issues is to contact the customer service department of the licensed casino or lottery provider. They are required to have procedures to handle player complaints.

  2. 2

    2. File a Formal Complaint with the Regulator

    A player can report a breach of the gambling law to the regulator: the ESBK for casinos, Gespa for lotteries and sports betting. The ESBK checks compliance but is not a conciliation body and does not act on the player's behalf.

    ESBK: frequently asked questions
  3. 3

    3. Legal Action

    To get money back, a player must go to the civil courts.

Common myths about gambling in Switzerland

  • Myth
    It's legal for me to play on any website that accepts Swiss players.
    Reality

    False. Only sites licensed in Switzerland may offer money games here. Playing on a foreign site is not an offence for you, but the site is unlicensed and blocked, Swiss player protection does not apply, and your stakes and winnings can be confiscated in proceedings against the operator. Gespa's blocklist held 671 domains at the end of 2025.

  • Myth
    All gambling winnings in Switzerland are tax-free.
    Reality

    Partly true. Land-casino winnings are tax-free. Online casino, lottery and sports-betting wins are tax-free up to CHF 1,071,000 each in 2026 (CHF 1,076,100 from 2027); above that they are taxed. Wins on unlicensed sites never qualify.

  • Myth
    Using a VPN to access blocked sites is a safe and legal workaround.
    Reality

    While using a VPN itself is not illegal, using it to gamble on unlicensed sites is risky. Players forfeit all consumer protections under Swiss law, have no guarantee of fair games or that winnings will be paid, and have no legal recourse in case of a dispute.

Frequently asked questions about gambling in Switzerland

Are gambling winnings taxed in Switzerland?

Winnings from a licensed land-based casino are tax-free. Single winnings from licensed online casinos, lotteries and sports betting are tax-free up to CHF 1,071,000 in 2026 (CHF 1,076,100 from 2027); above that they are taxed and 35% withholding tax is deducted. Winnings from unlicensed sites are not exempt.

Why are there no foreign-only online casinos in Switzerland?

Swiss law has no standalone online licence. Only a company holding a Swiss land-based casino concession can obtain the right to run casino games online, which the Federal Council grants as an extension of that concession.

Is it legal to gamble with cryptocurrency in Switzerland?

The law does not mention cryptocurrency. Winnings and balances may be paid out only to a payment account in the player's name, and the ESBK may ban means of payment in casinos that do not fit the law's aims. Crypto casinos serving Swiss players are unlicensed.

How comprehensive is the self-exclusion program in Switzerland?

An exclusion from play (Spielsperre) entered by a casino or a large-game operator covers casino games, land-based and online, and online lotteries and sports betting across Switzerland, and since 7 January 2025 Liechtenstein too. It does not by itself cover small games or lotteries bought in shops.

What Switzerland bets on most

Top betting event
Football (Soccer)
Sports

Football is the dominant betting vertical in Switzerland, as in the broader European market. Other highly popular betting categories include tennis and winter sports.

Source: sbo.net - Switzerland Betting Guide

Biggest wins in Switzerland

Lottery
CHF 230.2 million
2021

A single ticket holder in Switzerland won a record-breaking CHF 230.2 million (€210 million) in the EuroMillions lottery. This was the largest-ever lottery prize won in Switzerland.

Sources: Swisslos · Lottery24

Land-based casino
CHF 7'793'928
2023

An anonymous female visitor won the record-breaking Swiss Jackpot at the Casino Zurich in February 2023. The previous record was also set at the same casino.

Sources: Swiss Casinos · Libera TV

Online casino
CHF 423'244
2020

A player from the canton of Solothurn won what was at the time the largest-ever jackpot at a Swiss-licensed online casino. The win came from a CHF 25 bet on the 'Jackpot Bells' slot game on swisscasinos.ch.

Source: Swiss Casinos

Methodology & sources

The research behind our Switzerland coverage

Counted across every Switzerland page, not this page alone.

compiled 6 Nov 2026

13
official websites
regulators, legislatures, courts
105
pages cited
specific documents, not homepages
249
sourced data points
each traced to the instrument

Across every Switzerland page on this site: players, operators and the licence guide. The research report behind them cites official sources: the law, the regulator, the gazette, the courts and each platform’s own published advertising policy. Page sections not yet rewritten from the report may cite other sources.

Our Deep AI Scan took Switzerland through all 201 questions of our regulatory checklist, from 76 official documents, read on 6 Nov 2026. Our research team then traced every figure on this page to the document and sentence that states it. The full research report is due to go to our compliance team. Where a fact rests on a press report or a law-firm summary rather than an official document, the page says so.

How we research

The 10 documents this page relies on most

  1. BGS, Bundesgesetz über Geldspiele (SR 935.51), Stand 1 Sep 2023Law
  2. VGS, Verordnung über Geldspiele (SR 935.511), Stand 1 Jan 2024Law
  3. SPBV-EJPD, Spielbankenverordnung (SR 935.511.1), Stand 1 Jan 2019Law
  4. ESBK, Allgemeine Instruktionen für das Gesuchsverfahren (Konzession und Konzessionserweiterung), ref. ESBK-D-A2893401/108Regulator
  5. ESBK, Verzeichnis der Konformitätsbewertungsstellen (4 Mar 2026)Regulator
  6. ESBK, Sicherer und transparenter Spielbetrieb (game lists, accredited bodies)Regulator
  7. GwV-ESBK (Geldwäschereiverordnung ESBK), SR 955.021Law
  8. Gesamtschweizerisches Geldspielkonkordat (GSK) vom 20 Mai 2019, Gespa's own PDFRegulator
  9. ESBK, Fragen und Antworten (version of 12 Mar 2025)Regulator
  10. ESBK, Tätigkeitsbericht 2025 (published 19 Jun 2026)Regulator

Also cited on this page

76 documents in all. Request the full research report for every source, answer by answer.

Run a gambling business?
For operator tax, advertising rules and compliance, see the Switzerland operator overview; for the licence, its cost and the application steps, the licence guide.
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Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 6 Nov 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with Federal Gaming Board (ESBK) for casinos; intercantonal authority Gespa for lotteries and sports betting. We are not a legal adviser.