| Details about sports betting in Switzerland | |
|---|---|
|
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| Market situation: | Monopoly |
| Licensor: | GESPA (Website ) |
| Number of licenses: | Limited to 2 |
| Licensed are: | Sporttip & JouezSport (State providers) |
| Disadvantages: | Account limit, few betting markets & sports, low betting odds, no new customer bonus. |
| Alternatives: | International bookmakers (see List) |
| Best provider: | 1Bet |
Among the European countries of the Western type, Switzerland is, to use a metaphor, an island: sports betting here is still under a state monopoly. Whether or not this makes sense, or is even in keeping with the times, this approach at least has the approval of large parts of the population. At least, if you look at the corresponding referendum as a barometer.
Those who do not bet themselves probably view this with indifference, but the consequence of this exclusion of private-sector providers was actually foreseeable: Where no competitionthere no incentivewhere there is no competition, there is no incentive to make an attractive offer. So the reality paints a bleak picture, because anyone who looks to international bookmakers will quickly notice that the national sports betting products JouezSport and Sporttip are far from being able to keep up with the general standard. cannot keep up with the general standard.
The most serious factor is probably the lack of variety in sportscompetitions and betting markets. The fact that you get less for your money in case of a correct tip you get less payout for your money than with international contact points, but can also cause discontent. The question arises: If it is not possible for online bookies to get a Swiss license, am I as a Swiss still excluded from using private licensed sports betting products?
In this article we would like to discuss the Swiss special way in more detail and clarify how and why it is still possible for sports bettors to bet with the international bookmaker.
Table of contents
- Betting providers for Switzerland – our ranking
- Decisive basics for international sports betting in Switzerland
- The legal situation regarding sports betting in Switzerland
- No licenses, but domain blocks – this is how GESPA reacts to international providers
- Is it permissible for Swiss to bet with VPN at the online bookie?
- Criticism: How sensible is the Swiss approach?
- Why do international bookmakers have the better sports betting offer?
- The most important advantages of international sports betting in Switzerland
- Other important questions about sports betting in Switzerland
- Sports betting Switzerland – our conclusion
Betting providers for Switzerland – our ranking
The following table lists betting providers that have performed well in our tests in all points and whose offers we can therefore recommend can recommend. They are all based on international gambling licenses and offer extensive sportsbooks designed according to modern criteria.
Decisive basics for international sports betting in Switzerland
The bookmakers listed above are sports betting companies that operate internationally, i.e. in several countries. Accordingly the betting offers are on soccer, American sports, martial arts or winter sports, as well as on fringe sports or esports competitions. As an object of betting, the latter have experienced an upswing in recent years, along with computer-simulated virtual sports events.
As sports betting fans, we appreciate diversity and consider it an important component of a contemporary offering. The most important prerequisite is and remains, of course, an international sports betting licensein the case of the bookies we have reviewed, this comes mostly from Curacao. The island state decided to liberalize its own sports betting market at a time when people in Europe were still debating whether sports betting should not remain a state matter. to liberalize its own sports betting market and has been doing well with it for almost three decades.
But it is not only because they are welcomed with open arms in the country that the Curacao license is so popular among gambling operators: Curacao offers the industry a good technical infrastructureand allows – always within the framework of the licensing requirements – healthy competition. healthy competition. In addition, because Curacao is politically part of the Netherlands, the licenses open the open the gate to Europe.
From the fact that the betting providers more decision-making power more decision-making power with regard to the design of their betting programs. also sports bettors. They can count on a greater choice of sports and betting markets, as well as attractive betting odds you can count on. Bonus offers and betting promotions are also part of the general standard.
In summary, it can be said that bookmakers from Curacao on the one hand Offer security
- Audited by an external regulatory body
- Exclusion of minors
- Support in case of gambling addiction
- Betting account settings for more player protection (Enabling two-factor authentication for login possible, self-exclusion for time).
… and on the other hand open many freedoms.
- Higher or no betting and payment limits
- Betting with cryptocurrencies as an alternative
- Many sports, betting markets, and other entertainment offers
- Registration with several bookies possible, to use the best the best offer to be able to
But in Switzerland, sports betting is known to be viewed critically, which is reflected in the current legal situation. It is far away from a regulation like on Curacao.
The legal situation regarding sports betting in Switzerland
Of course, there is hardly any state that does not intervene in the sports betting market in a regulatory manner. The reason for this is the addictive potential inherent in sports betting. The liberal variant is the gentle control via licenses. The strict one lies in the state monopoly. While many European countries, including its English-speaking neighbors Austria and Australia, have now abandoned the latter, Switzerland is taking a different approach.
Here, the in 2012triggered by the People's Initiative "For Money Games in the Service of the Common Good". [1]the public benefit provision was elevated to constitutional constitutional rank. This meant that any kind of free-market competition on a national level was rejected.
The most important legal bases on sports betting in Switzerland are:
- Constitution: The non-profit purpose of sports betting was enshrined as such in the Constitution by a popular vote of March 11, 2012, with a majority of 87.1% (voter turnout 44.77%) (Art. 106 Money Games). The licensing and supervision of sports betting services is the responsibility of the cantons.
- Federal level: In order to implement the new constitutional article, parliament passed the new Money Gaming Act (BGS) which was approved by the Swiss population on June 10, 2018, with a majority of 72.9% (voter turnout 34.52%). Further clarifications were made by the Federal Council in the Money Gaming Ordinance (VGS).
- Intercantonal: With the All-Swiss Concordat on Gambling (GSK), in force since 1.1.2021. [2], GESPA (Intercantonal Gaming Supervision) was established as the competent authority and the number of licensed operators was limited to two, one for the territory of English-speaking Switzerland and one for the cantons of French-speaking Switzerland.
In summary the following can be said about the situation in Switzerland:
- In purely formal terms, sports betting under a state monopoly.
- The organizers licensed are Swisslos (with Sporttip) in the English-speaking cantons, and the Loterie Romande (with JouezSport) in French-speaking Switzerland.
- The proceeds from the offers are donated donated to charitable causesfirst and foremost the promotion of sports.
No licenses, but domain blocks – this is how GESPA reacts to international providers
Due to the legal situation, it is practically impossible for international betting providers, i.e. private companies, to obtain a sports betting license in Switzerland. impossible to obtain a sports betting license in Switzerland.. De facto, these operators are excluded from the market, but in practice the situation is not so clear: after all, the Internet exists, online sports betting is independent of territorial borders.
For many bookmakers, however, the situation is too delicate, and they voluntarily renounce the Swiss marketOthers do not explicitly exclude customers from Switzerland from using their services. The competent authority, the GESPA, essentially relies on Domain locksso that foreign betting portals are not accessible for Swiss citizens. This leads to the question for many:
Is it permissible for Swiss to bet at the online bookie with VPN?
On the occasion of the European Football Championship 2020 (held in 2021), this question has also been raised by the daily newspaper Swiss Blick which asked the supervisory authority GESPA directly directly with the supervisory authority GESPA. has.
The answer:
This is positive for the time being, however, it does not affect the fact that many bookmakers do not accept bets from Swiss customers accept. Following on from this, we would like to advise againstregistering with false personal data or with a fictitious fictitious residential address abroad. Just as you as a customer rightly expect fair dealings on the part of the company, you yourself should play with open cards.
In addition, there are also quite pragmatic arguments for being honest: reputable betting providers who are aware of their social responsibility sooner or later require their customers to provide Proof of age of majority. Anyone who provides false information will be discovered at some point and their betting account will be closed as a consequence. And we would advise against using dubious offers from the outset anyway.
The so-called account verification is usually done by submitting a copy of an identity documentthe residential address, for example by means of a utility bill. electricity billmust be proven. In addition, only with own funds which is why many providers also check whether the amounts paid into the betting account come from their own accounts.
Further information > How betting works with VPN
Criticism: How sensible is the Swiss approach?
Apart from the ethical debate – the individual's responsibility versus the state's duty to protect – there is also a very practical dimension which doubts about the usefulness of the of the Swiss model: Can the monopoly be enforced at all? monopoly be enforced at all? In view of the great interest of sports fans in sports betting, the technical possibilities of the Internet and the excellent – and thus far more attractive – offers of the betting industry, this is extremely questionable.
Anyone who has seen the state offers of JouezSport and Sporttip are compared with the betting portals of international bookmakers, it quickly becomes clear that the former cannot compete with the latter: the former cannot keep up. This is how sports bettors find their way to the modern online bookie. Such foreclosure strategies are therefore not in keeping with the times.
Why do international bookmakers have the better sports betting offer?
There are several reasons for this. On the one hand, there are Swiss operators Sporttip and JouezSport, there are restrictionswhich they have to observe, and which are far stricter than those that apply to international licensees. Thus there is…
- … an account limit: If the betting balance on the account stands at 10,000 Swiss francs or more, no more deposits may be made by the tipper.
- … a deposit limit: No more than 10,000 Swiss francs may be deposited in the course of 30 days.
- … a ban on certain offers: Bets may only be offered on sporting events, but not on other topics such as society, politics, eSports or Virtual Sport. In addition, bets on sporting events that are more likely to be the target of manipulation are prohibited. This is probably the reason why, for example, regional and amateur sports do not appear in the betting programs of Sporttip and JouezSport.
On the other hand, the lack of competition also plays a role. While private-sector bookmakers have to survive on the market on their own, state providers have no competition to fear. Accordingly, there is no incentive to offer attractive deals and conditions.
This could be the reason why JouezSport and Sporttip, for example, have offer significantly worse odds offer. A comparison of identical offers shows that both the odds key and the betting odds of individual tips are lower.
The main advantages of international sports betting in Switzerland
- Large selection of bookmakers with different offers
- Mostly better betting odds for the same bet
- Odds key in extreme cases up to five percentage points higher
- Much bigger sportsbook: more bets, more sports
- Betting on eSports, virtual sports and social/political events are allowed
- Very high, sometimes no limits
- Additional payment options like Cryptocurrencies
- New customer bonus And other promotions (cashbacks, free bets, etc.)
- Competition ensures constant further development and improvement
Other important questions about sports betting in Switzerland
- Why are there no Swiss licenses for private sports betting operators?
- What is the difference between international betting providers and Swiss operators?
- As a Swiss, can I legally bet with an international bookmaker?
- How do I find out if a certain bookmaker accepts customers from Switzerland?
- How safe and reputable are online betting offers that are not licensed in Switzerland?
1.) Why are there no Swiss licenses for private sports betting providers?
In Switzerland there are currently only two sports betting operators licensed by the authorities. These are the non-profit operators Loterie Romande and Swisslos, which are licensed with Sporttip and JouezSport provide the two online offerings in English-speaking Switzerland and in the French-speaking language regions, respectively. The reason for this is a Referendum from the year 2012in which the Swiss population decided that national sports betting should sports betting must be in the service of the must be in the public interest. The proceeds are primarily used to promote sports in the country.
2.) What distinguishes international betting providers from Swiss operators?
International bookmakers relied on sports betting licenses issued in a country that – unlike Switzerland – also licenses licensed operators from the private sector. Swiss licenses are limited to two, and these are reserved for non-profit operators. Particularly popular are currently Licenses from Curacao. Although geographically located in the Caribbean, the island state is politically associated with the Netherlands and thus builds a bridge to Europe. bridge to Europe.
The country has a much longer tradition in licensing private sports betting operators than European nations and therefore offers operators an excellent infrastructure. Although licensees are scrutinized according to similar standards as in Malta, for example, there are – in terms of betting program content – less less stringent requirements – in terms ofwhich benefits the offer.
3.) As a Swiss citizen, can I bet legally with an international bookmaker?
The answer is yes, because it is not a criminal offense for Swiss people to use such offers. This is even confirmed by GESPA, the authority responsible for the domestic sports betting market. On the other hand, it might be more difficult to find a bookmaker at all that accepts accepts Swiss customers. After all, it is currently not possible to obtain a license as a foreign company in Switzerland. Only the sports betting offers JouezSport and Sporttip of the two national organizers Loterie Romande and Swisslos are permitted. More licenses are not envisaged.
Although international bookmakers also rely on licenses, these are of course not Swiss licenses and thus, strictly speaking, the provider is not authorized by the state to operate on the territory. Therefore, many betting providers refrain from serving the market. Of course there are some exceptions, these can be found in our list.
4.) How do I find out if a certain bookmaker accepts customers from Switzerland?
There are several ways to find out. The first is to take a look at the general terms and conditions to take a look. Most bookmakers keep a list there of countries in which they do not operate ("country restriction" or "restricted countries"). Of course, you can also simply contact the customer service with this question. However, the easiest way is probably to try to open a open a betting account. In the registration form, the residential address is usually to be specified. The country is usually to be specified by means of a drop-down menu. If here Switzerland is not offered as a selection you can assume that as a Swiss citizen you are excluded from using the site.
5.) How safe and reputable are online betting offers that are not licensed in Switzerland?
The fact that a bookmaker is not licensed in Switzerland does not automatically mean that it is unserious. After all, it is de facto impossible for private companies to even get a license in Switzerland. Therefore, they have no choice but to turn to a licensing body abroad. This even applies to such large traditional houses as Bet365 or Bwin, which would probably not be accused of dubious business practices. It is essential for the customer that the provider is licensed at all licensed, primarily of course according to European standards. This also applies, for example, to bookies on Curacao, which belongs to the Netherlands.
Sports betting Switzerland – our conclusion
With its state sports betting monopoly Switzerland is almost isolated in Europe, in view of the developments this also seems to be out of time. out of timeThe Internet is shrinking the world and breaking down national borders, making it almost impossible for a democratic country impossible for a democratic country to enforce isolation..
This assessment is also confirmation in reality: National licenses may exist only for the two non-profit organizers, the offers from abroad Swiss people, if they are accepted as customers, can nevertheless turn to the offers from abroad. Because it is not punishable. What remains are inconveniences for the sports tipster – and missed opportunities for the Swiss state, above all those to find a contemporary framework. Because one thing is certain: Because the grass is greener on the other side of the border is, sports betting fans will continue to try their luck there in the future.
List of sources:
[1] https://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100001627/100568915
[2] https://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100082021/100863187
[3] https://www.blick.ch/wirtschaft/trotz-neuem-geldspielgesetz-so-koennen-schweizer-legal-auf-em-spiele-wetten-id16593036.html
You might also be interested in:
- The best sports betting providers 2024 in the test
- The most important licensing authorities at a glance
Author: William Brown
