In 2023, Switzerland had a clearly defined approach to online casino gambling: online casino games were generally permitted only when they were offered by a Swiss land-based casino that held an extension to its national casino concession. The legal framework was the Swiss Money Gaming Act, and the key supervisory authority was the Swiss Federal Gaming Board, commonly known as the ESBK.
This framework was designed to support a regulated digital gambling market with stronger oversight, player-protection measures and accountable operators. For Swiss players, the central takeaway was simple: a casino’s foreign licence could be an important sign of regulation in its home jurisdiction, but it did not make that operator officially authorized to offer online casino games in Switzerland.
Foreign online casinos remained popular with some Swiss players because they could offer broad game selections, international payment choices and promotional features, including crypto gambling. However, those potential benefits came with important practical risks. When an operator was outside effective Swiss jurisdiction, resolving disputes, recovering funds or enforcing consumer rights could be significantly more difficult.
