Over 60 foreign websitesExternal link have been blocked to Swiss gamblers. Last June, 73% of voters approved the overhaul of the country’s gambling law despite claims by opponents of government censorship. The law came into effect in January but blocking of foreign gambling websites only started in August.
Swiss gamblers can bet online only with Swiss casinos and lotteries that pay tax in the country and take measures to protect people against addiction.
Those on the blacklist published on Tuesday will be automatically obstructed by Swiss telecommunications service providers via DNS (domain name server) blocks. Only websites accessible from Switzerland will be blocked. Foreign service providers that voluntarily withdraw from the Swiss market with appropriate measures will not be blocked.
Swiss gamblers registered with foreign casinos will have to contact them directly for any money due as Swiss regulators have no jurisdiction over them. It is estimated that more than CHF250 million ($252 million) a year flows into the coffers of foreign internet casinos based in offshore locations such as Malta or Gibraltar.
Popular Stories
More
Workplace Switzerland
Trump tariff shock: how Switzerland is positioning itself
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
This content was published on
WEF founder Klaus Schwab has announced his immediate resignation as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.
A twin of the Milky Way existed in the young cosmos
This content was published on
A billion years after the Big Bang, there was already a spiral galaxy that resembles the Milky Way, according to the James Webb Space Telescope
Trains resume service to Swiss ski resort Zermatt after heavy snowfall
This content was published on
Zermatt can once again be reached by train starting Saturday afternoon. The Alpine holiday resort was inaccessible by land for some time after heavy snowfall last Thursday.
Authorities urge vigilance after heavy snowfall in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Vigilance remains the order of the day in the southern canton of Valais, despite a stable situation after heavy snow on Thursday, authorities said on Saturday.
Switzerland won’t be spared drug violence: criminal police head
This content was published on
It is only a matter of time before Switzerland, like other countries in Europe, experiences an escalation in drug-related violence, says the head of the Federal Criminal Police.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Voters give clear thumbs up for reform of Swiss gambling law
This content was published on
Swiss voters have endorsed a ban on online offers of offshore casinos. The new law includes measures against gambling addiction.
Gambling fact-check: ‘closed Switzerland’ vs ‘open Denmark’
This content was published on
Ahead of a nationwide vote on the issue, swissinfo.ch looks at campaigners' claims about Denmark and finds both sides (mostly) sticking to the facts.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.