Operators

Anyone offering large-scale gambling in Switzerland requires both an operator licence and a game licence (see below 'Game licences and assessment'). This goes for the lottery organisations currently active on the market as well as for operators of skill-game machines wishing to continue offering their games. It also goes for potential suppliers of skill games who are not yet active on the Swiss market.

Operator licences are granted on request, provided the operator fulfils the demands made by the Gambling Act and rendered more precise in the Gambling Ordinance (cf. in particular Art. 22f. of the Gambling Act and Art. 24ff. of the Ordinance). If you have concrete questions on how to write up your request for an operator licence, you may contact our experts for advice.

Large-scale gambling events require a game licence from Gespa.

The game licence is granted on request if the applicant is in possession of an operator licence (see above 'Operator licences') and fulfils the relevant demands made by the Gambling Act and rendered more precise in the Gambling Ordinance (cf. in particular Art. 24ff. of the Gambling Act and Art. 28ff. of the Ordinance). These demands concern in particular the safe running of the game and the implementation of appropriate measures to protect players against excessive gambling.

In the course of the licensing procedure, the game is assessed, among other criteria, with regard to its legal status. In particular we check whether the game indeed qualifies as a large-scale event (i.e. as a lottery, a skill-based game, or a form of sports betting operated online, intercantonally or using automated means).

This assessment takes more or less elaborate form, depending on the game and type of game. Assessing skill-based games is usually more complex, since it must be established whether winning indeed depends entirely or largely on the player’s skill. In order to judge whether a game has all the required properties and to examine further relevant characteristics, Gespa may submit games to third parties for suitable statistical testing.

If you have concrete questions on how to write up an application for a game licence, you may contact our experts for advice.