Eidgenössische Spielbankenkommission (ESBK)

All casino gambling was banned in Switzerland in 1874, and this ban remained in place until March 7, 1993. It wasn’t until January 1, 2019, that online gambling was regulated through the Gambling Act, which was approved by the Swiss public. This law allowed licensed land-based casinos to extend their services to the online market.

The Eidgenössische Spielbankenkommission (Federal Casino Commission) is the regulatory body responsible for enforcing the rules and regulations outlined in the Gambling Act. The commission is tasked with granting licenses, renewing licenses, and ensuring that casinos operate transparently and safely. It also focuses on player protection and compliance with anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing regulations.

Licensed Online Casinos.

Switzerland currently has 21 licensed land-based casinos, 10 of which also offer online gambling services. To ensure a site is legitimate, players can refer to the register of licensed online casinos.

Complaint Submission Process

At present, the commission does not have a specific procedure for submitting complaints. However, if a player is unable to resolve a dispute with a casino operator, they can contact the ESBK directly using the contact form available on the commission’s website.

Self- Exclusion

All casinos in Switzerland must provide players with tools to control and limit the time spent playing, the frequency of play, and the amount of money they can lose.

Players must also have the ability to request self-exclusion directly through each licensed casino website.

Additionally, the Gambling Act requires operators to implement an exclusion if they believe a player is gambling beyond their means or facing financial difficulties. Any exclusion—whether initiated by the operator or the player—is entered into a national register, which prevents gambling across all casinos, online games, lotteries, and sports betting in Switzerland.

Exclusions are taken seriously, and to have an exclusion lifted, the individual who imposed it must request its removal, and only if the original reason for the exclusion is no longer applicable.