| Updated: September 26, 2025Switzerland is often associated with its stable economy, high-quality chocolate, and skiing. The Swiss Alps feature some of the world’s best slopes and ski resorts. People living in the country enjoy a high standard of living, and the nation’s taxation system is relatively moderate. These conditions have paved the way for a thriving gambling market.
Gambling is a favorite pastime for many Swiss people. Until recently, online sports betting was illegal in Switzerland. However, the ban did not stop Swiss bettors from placing wagers at foreign-licensed sportsbooks. Swiss legislators realized that by banning online gambling, they were depriving the country of significant tax revenue. In 2019, the country finally legalized online sports betting.
Best Sports Betting Sites in Switzerland
At the time of writing, only two sportsbooks – Swisslos and Loterie Romande – are licensed to accept bets from Swiss bettors. The country maintains a blacklist of unauthorized gambling and sports betting sites and has asked Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to all of them.
Despite the government’s efforts to crack down on unauthorized gambling, many Swiss bettors continue to bypass the restrictions and place wagers with international sportsbooks. The list below will help you choose a reliable betting site that accepts Swiss bettors.
Best Sports Betting Bonuses in Switzerland
Promotions are an integral part of every sportsbook. After all, they are the first things that catch bettors’ attention. Sports betting promotions come in all shapes and sizes. However, punters should carefully read the fine print before claiming any bonus. Typically, sports betting bonuses are accompanied by numerous terms and conditions that bettors must satisfy.
Match Bonuses Free Bets Risk-Free Bets Acca InsuranceMatch Bonuses
Many betting sites targeting the Swiss market offer a welcome bonus that matches your deposit by a certain percentage up to a specified amount. To qualify for a match deposit bonus, punters must add funds to their accounts. These promotions usually carry wagering requirements and minimum-odds restrictions. Keep in mind that you have a limited time to fulfill the playthrough conditions.
Free Bets
A free bet is another generous promotion available to Swiss punters. By claiming a free bet bonus, you can place a wager without using funds from your cash balance. If the bet loses, you lose nothing; if it wins, you receive the profit associated with the stake. Remember, however, that the stake itself cannot be withdrawn.
Risk-Free Bets
Some betting sites welcome newcomers from Switzerland with risk-free bets, allowing them to receive a refund if their wager loses. However, risk-free bets are not entirely without risk because the refund is issued as free bets. Punters can use the free bet only on sporting events that meet the minimum odds specified by the operator.
Acca Insurance
Accumulator bets allow sports fans to combine multiple selections into a single wager, but they pay out only if every leg wins. Fortunately, many Swiss-friendly betting sites offer Acca insurance. This promotion lets punters reclaim their stake if an accumulator bet falls short by just one selection. To qualify, you must place an accumulator with a minimum number of selections and meet the minimum-odds requirement for each leg.
Betting Regulation in Switzerland
In 1923, Switzerland passed the Lotteries and Commercial Betting Act, which banned all forms of gambling, including lotteries. Interestingly, the legislation also empowered the individual cantons to regulate lotteries and use the proceeds for good causes.
In 1993, a financial crisis prompted the government to propose a referendum to legalize casinos. Consequently, the Federal Act on Games of Chance and Casinos was enacted in 1998, allowing land-based casinos to operate legally in Switzerland.
Comlot was established in 2006 to monitor inter-cantonal gambling activities. In 2009, the Swiss Federal Gaming Board issued a preliminary report recommending that lawmakers regulate online gambling, create an agency to address problem gambling, implement a tax regime, and block unlicensed betting sites.
In September 2017, the Swiss parliament passed the Money Gaming Act, which took effect in 2019 after being approved by voters. The new legislation allows land-based casinos to go online, while foreign operators must partner with a Swiss casino to obtain a license from the national regulator.
Switzerland Passes the Money Gaming Act Small-Scale and Large-Scale Sports Betting Explained Important Restrictions Swiss Punters Should KnowSwitzerland Passes the Money Gaming Act
Switzerland consists of 26 cantons, each empowered to introduce gambling regulations for local events, while gambling is also governed at the federal level. The legal landscape resembles that of the United States, where federal and state laws jointly regulate gambling and sports betting.
For years, online gambling in Switzerland was illegal. However, in 2018 the country enacted the Money Gaming Act (MGA), legalizing online gambling and sports betting. The changes took effect in 2019, allowing land-based casinos to launch online platforms. Under the new legislation, foreign operators may also obtain a Swiss gambling license if they meet the licensing conditions and partner with a Switzerland-based brick-and-mortar casino.
The Swiss Federal Gaming Board is the authority responsible for issuing gambling licenses. Casino operators interested in the Swiss market should note that a maximum of 21 online casino licenses can be issued, 11 of which have already been awarded.
Small-Scale and Large-Scale Sports Betting Explained
The law distinguishes between casino games, lotteries, sports betting, and skill games. Lotteries, sports betting, and skill games are further classified as large-scale (conducted in an automated, cross-cantonal, or online manner) and small-scale (held solely within a canton).
Small-scale sports betting is regulated at the cantonal level. Notably, punters may wager up to CHF 200 per bet and CHF 200,000 in total on a single competition per day.
Large-scale lotteries and sports betting may be offered by only two companies, Swisslos and Loterie Romande. Swisslos serves punters in the German-speaking cantons, while Loterie Romande targets bettors in the French-speaking regions. Both companies provide a variety of betting options and maintain separate mobile apps for sports betting and lotteries.
Important Restrictions Swiss Punters Should Know
Gespa, formerly known as Comlot, is the authority that regulates the sports betting industry and lotteries. At the government’s request, ISPs block access to unlicensed gambling and betting sites, and financial institutions are instructed to stop processing transactions to and from offshore casinos and sportsbooks.
Swiss punters can legally place wagers on various sporting events through the websites operated by Swisslos and Loterie Romande. However, individuals under 18 years of age are not permitted to participate in gambling or sports betting. Winnings of up to CHF 1,000 from large-scale online sports betting are tax-free, but profits from foreign sportsbooks and casinos are fully taxed.