Switzerland will grant two new casino licences

Switzerland’s Federal Council has approved the creation of two new licensing regions.

Switzerland.- The Federal Council of Switzerland has approved the creation of two new casino licensing regions in the country. That will allow two new casino licences to be granted, adding to the existing 21 licensees. A tender process will begin next month, with the winning licensees to be announced in autumn.

Switzerland allows one casino licence for each licensing region. Currently there are 21 regions, but the Federal Gaming Board (ESBK) recommended the system be updated to add Lausanne and Winterthur as two new regions. The existing 21 casino licences will not be affected.

There are two types of casino licences in Switzerland – Class A and Class B licences. The new regions will get Class A licences, which have no stake limits and are issued to casinos expected to generate at least CHF30m in revenue each year. There are currently eight Class A licences.

Class B licences, of which there are currently 13, have a CHF25 (€24.44) stake limit for slot machines.

Switzerland’s land-based casino licensees are able to offer online casino gaming via partnerships with online operators.

Gespa, the body that regulates gaming in the French-speaking parts of Switzerland, has named Jean-Michel Cina as its new president.

He took over from Jean-François Roth on January 1 for a four-year term. He’s the body’s second president, with Roth having held the position since Gespa was founded as Comlot in 2006.

See also: Swiss regulators add dozens more sites to blacklists