Casinos in Switzerland to get new licences

There will also be new casinos in Prilly and Winterthur.

Switzerland.- The Swiss Federal Council has decided to grant all casinos new 20-year licences from 2025. Meanwhile, new casinos have been approved for Prilly and Winterthur, with the latter to replace the casino in Schaffhausen, for which a new licence application was not submitted.

The decision was announced after the Swiss casino industry’s delegate meeting last week. There will be 22 land-based casinos and 12 online casinos in Switzerland. Existing licences are due to expire at the end of this year.

Swiss Casino Association president Gerhard Pfister described the announcement of the new concessions as a “milestone” moment. He said: “The federal government has recognised that today’s casinos ensure safe and responsible operations and generate significant economic benefits in their regions.”

Meanwhile, Swiss Casino Group casinos in Zurich, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen and Pfäffikon have joined the Swiss Casino Association in a unanimous agreement. This means that all Swiss casinos, both land-based an online, are now members of the Swiss Casino Association. The new casino in Winterthur will submit a membership application once it opens.

Swiss Casinos board member Marc Baumann said: “The online business is changing the Swiss casino industry sustainably. We are happy to work together with the Swiss Casino Association to help shape the future.”

For 2023, Swiss land-based casino revenue was down 1.1 per cent year-on-year at CHF623m (€629m), but online casino revenue was up 14.3 per cent at CHF286m.

In November last year, the Federal Council permitted the granting of casino licences for 22 areas, an increase from the previous 17: 10 Type A and 12 type B. The latter have a maximum stake limit of CHF 25 (€26.86). Of the land-based casinos, 12 are now licensed to provide online casino gaming.