Swiss legal expert Dr. Simon Planzer spoke at iGB Live in Amsterdam last week about the anticipated reforms to Swiss gambling law. These reforms are required as part of the binding referendum that approved the new Money Gaming Act, which took place in June.
Dr. Planzer, a partner of Planzer Law, Zurich, explained to iGB attendees that the route ahead is lengthy and fraught with complexities. The reforms must be enacted separately across twenty-six autonomous regions in the country, called cantons. Switzerland is also famed for its technical and bureaucratic attention to detail, he said, which will make any constructed framework of laws strong and coherent but perhaps rather lengthy in preparation.
Planzer detailed several other events relating to Swiss gaming reform likely to occur in the near future at iGB, a new consolidated brand event that comprises three formerly industry entities: the iGaming Super Show, EiG, and the Amsterdam Affiliate Conference.
He explained that the government would likely put a serious cap on license numbers and may favour established land-based gambling houses for those. There is also some concern, and much speculation, about possible tax rate hikes.
Planzer also referred to the prospect of IP blocks and other restrictions on foreign entities such as payment processors, which are broadly expected.
This is relatively new territory for the Swiss population as well as its legislation; gambling was banned in Switzerland until 1993 and has had a limited legal scope since. There is a range of political concerns that attend the coming changes, in particular the fear that any censorship of foreign content may set a precedent for other domains outside gambling.
One thing seems certain: the regulators tasked with bringing about these reforms, the Swiss Federal Gaming Board (SFGB) and the InterCantonal Lottery & Betting Board (Comlot), have their work cut out for them.
