When Swiss voters go to the polls in June they will be considering a new gaming law that would, among other things ban foreign casino websites.
Supporters say the new law will save money and prevent gaming addiction. Opponents say the real purpose of the law is to preserve the monopoly of the 21 existing casinos—one for each canton but one. They also call it censorship of the internet.
Under the law—which was adopted by the parliament last fall before being challenged by petition and forced to a national vote—online versions of popular table games such as roulette and poker would be legal. It would also allow real-time sports betting by licensed lottery operators.
The government argues that the law would maintain state control over the gaming industry while modernizing regulations.
The law was challenged and forced to a referendum by a coalition of youthful voters ranging from left to right, and includes the Swiss People’s Party, the Radicals, the Liberal Greens and the Greens. They collected more than 50,000 signatures.
The establishment casinos currently pay between 40-80 percent of their revenues, which is divided between Swiss cantons and social security. Although the coalition has different reasons for opposing the law, they appear united in opposing the provision that locks out foreign casino websites.
Calling this “digital isolation” of the country, one opponent declared recently “Banning online poker might just be the beginning. But where will this lead?”
Switzerland has one of the highest number of casinos per residents in the world. Opponents of the law accuse parliament of giving the existing casinos unfair special treatment.
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga defended the law: “We have a pragmatic approach to gambling in Switzerland. In the future, online providers are subject to the same rules as all others.” She said the new rules would prevent fraud and money laundering.
Virtual casinos, she said, “don’t contribute to the common good under the current regulations, depriving the old age pension scheme and sporting, cultural and social institutions of an estimated CHF250 million annually.”
