Key Moments:
- Gespa’s 2024 report has found that online player protection measures remain robust, yet sports betting continues to present significant risks.
- The majority of high-loss players in Switzerland are young men between 18 and 29, mostly participating in sports betting.
- Gespa has announced plans for increased inspections and mystery shopping at retail sports betting outlets in 2025.
Switzerland’s Responsible Gambling Efforts Assessed
Switzerland’s gambling authority, Gespa, has released its latest assessment regarding the player protection initiatives implemented by Swisslos and Loterie Romande. The review, “Evaluation report: effectiveness of the measures to protect gamblers 2024”, evaluated the annual submissions provided by the two state-licensed lottery operators in line with the Federal Act on Gambling (BGS), which requires operators of significant gaming activities to report on anti-excessive gambling strategies each year.
Effective Online Controls, Persistent Sports Betting Risks
The regulatory body recognized that the current structures contribute significantly to maintaining controlled and informed gambling behavior, commending both firms for surpassing minimum legal requirements. Mandatory monthly loss limits serve as a pivotal part of the Swiss responsible gambling framework. Most online products cap monthly losses at CHF 2,000 (€1,940), though Swisslos permits up to CHF 9,999 (€9,700) losses monthly on its sports betting platform, Sporttip.
Nevertheless, Gespa’s report indicates sports betting continues to represent the highest risk for problem gambling in Switzerland. Even with average player losses dropping in 2024 compared with 2023, losses remain notably higher in sports betting than in other gambling verticals. High-rolling players losing more than CHF 2,000 monthly are largely found in the sports betting category, with a significant portion being men aged 18 to 29, a group identified as particularly vulnerable.
“The continuous evaluation and strengthening of player protection, especially in sports betting, remains essential,” Gespa concluded.
Retail Channel Challenges Highlighted
Gespa’s findings also draw attention to the limitations of overseeing physical points of sale, which generated 77 percent of total gross gaming revenue in 2024. The effectiveness of protective measures at land-based outlets is constrained due to limited oversight capability and measurement challenges. Despite these constraints, ongoing training and awareness initiatives for staff remain central to the operators’ corporate social responsibility.
There are concerns about potential conflicts of interest among retail staff who both sell gambling services and are responsible for enforcing safeguards. Gespa flagged the issue, stating, “These persons perform a key control function to protect players from excessive gambling. If they themselves play, a conflict of roles results,” and suggested implementing a prohibition on gambling for retail staff and outlet owners.
Political Debate Over Retail Sales Incentives
The regulatory recommendations intersect with ongoing political discussions in Bern. Socialist Party MP Jessica Jaccoud has proposed that shifting from a commission-based payment model to a flat-rate system for sales outlets would eliminate the incentive to prioritize sales over player safety. The current commission stands at 5 percent of turnover, a practice opposed by some industry groups and rejected by a parliamentary committee. Gespa’s recent commentary lent support to such reforms, highlighting the inherent conflict between operators’ financial motivations and their legal obligations to enforce responsible gambling rules.
“[R]etailers find themselves torn between higher revenue and their legal responsibility to implement protection measures, which, by definition, would reduce their commission,” Jaccoud warned.
Stepped-Up Oversight for 2025
Gespa announced plans to intensify monitoring of retail sports betting, with mystery shopper inspections scheduled for 2025. This follows reports of irregularities related to physical sports betting sales in 2024, which the regulator linked directly to player protection issues. Plans include checking for adequate age verification procedures and ensuring staff effectively intervene with players displaying at-risk behaviors.
Both Loterie Romande and Swisslos have expanded their employee training, increased work with addiction prevention experts, and introduced internal support lines. Swisslos registered 507 interactions with its internal responsible gambling unit in 2024, up from 387 the year before.
Stricter Controls on Unlicensed Gambling
In August 2025, Gespa revealed that the national blacklist for unlicensed gambling sites blocked 2,597 domains. Under the Federal Act on Money Games (AMG), only platforms holding Swiss licenses may legally operate online, and unauthorized sites are blocked by internet service providers upon Gespa or ESBK’s orders.
The system has previously earned strong support from voters, yet the threat from unauthorized online gambling remains. Gespa reiterated the need for a robust legal market, stating, “It must remain possible for lottery companies, within legal boundaries, to offer attractive and competitive games in order to prevent players from migrating to the illegal market.”
Key Data from Gespa’s 2024 Evaluation
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Monthly Online Loss Limit (most products) | CHF 2,000 (€1,940) |
| Monthly Sports Betting Loss Limit (Sporttip) | CHF 9,999 (€9,700) |
| Gross Gaming Revenue from Retail Outlets (2024) | 77% |
| Number of Unlicensed Domains Blocked (as of August 2025) | 2,597 |
| Swisslos Responsible Gambling Contacts (2024) | 507 |
| Swisslos Responsible Gambling Contacts (2023) | 387 |
- Author
Daniel Williams
