First and foremost, Switzerland is known for its breathtaking landscape, a unique mountain backdrop, the finest chocolate and famous cheese specialties. If you choose this country as a holiday destination, you are probably an enthusiastic outdoor fan and are either looking for hiking routes or opportunities to do winter sports there extensively. But the small state with its 26 cantons has so much more to offer.
There are great cities with a rich cultural offer and countless shopping options. The nightlife in the main centres of Zurich, Basel and Bern is also impressive. What many visitors may not necessarily be aware of, however, is that Switzerland also has a whole range of renowned casinos that have a high entertainment factor and are making a name for themselves far beyond the country’s borders.
Of course, enthusiastic gamblers can also enjoy their gaming pleasure in the comfort of an online casino Switzerland . The ambience of a sophisticated casino is of course also something special. If you would like to experience this for yourself, you will be warmly welcomed in the casinos of Switzerland and perhaps even encouraged to take a complete casino tour after the first few visits.
How gambling is regulated in Switzerland
You may not suspect it, but compared to its neighboring countries, the density of casinos in Switzerland is actually very high. There are a total of 21 casinos, which are mainly located in the larger cities as well as the tourist magnets such as Davos or St. Moritz. In order to be able to officially offer gambling, a licence is required. Depending on the financial turnover and the size of the casino, a distinction is made between an A and a B licence.
The SFGB is responsible for awarding them. Behind this is the Federal Casino Commission, which also takes over the control of business activities and ensures compliance with the protection of minors and players.
In addition, it continues to have the important task of regulating the taxation of gambling revenues. And they are indeed not without their merits in Switzerland – between 40 and 80 percent are due on the gross gaming revenue generated by each casino, depending on the specific concession. Thus, the state earns well here and the flourishing business in turn benefits the municipalities as well as the common good.
Due to increasing digitalization, a strong market for gambling on the Internet has also developed in recent years. More and more online casinos have sprung up like mushrooms to offer their digital slot and card games to a broad target group.
Of course, this development was also noticeable in Switzerland. The oversupply quickly became opaque and of course offered a suitable breeding ground for all those companies that wanted to take money out of the players’ pockets with unfair methods. Of course, it is unthinkable to regulate, let alone monitor, this globally active industry.
However, due to the circumstances, a legal solution had to be found for online casinos in order to at least determine the handling for Swiss citizens. Finally, consumer protection should also be guaranteed in this area and a certain positive influence should be exerted on what is happening.
After a referendum in 2018 , the current regulations came into force at the beginning of 2019 and will continue until 2024. It stipulates that online casinos may not be run by private providers, but must be affiliated with one of the licensed casinos. An extension of the licence issued by the Federal Council applies to this purpose. To date, a total of 11 land-based casinos make use of this regulation and operate their own online casinos very successfully. In this way, they are opening up an additional player base that is less interested in experiencing evening entertainment in elegant casinos, but clearly focuses on fast gambling.
The law goes hand in hand with the fact that foreign providers are not allowed to operate in Switzerland. They are blacklisted and are automatically blocked by browsers to make access as difficult as possible.
Thrills of visiting casinos across the country
Getting to know several Swiss casinos at the same time is very easy to do if you are traveling across the country, because the locations are evenly distributed across Switzerland and are well connected to the transport networks. They are located in Bad Ragaz, Baden, Basel, Bern, Crans Montana, Courrendlin, Davos, Fribourg, Granges-Paccot, Interlaken, Locarno, Lugano, Lucerne, Mendrisio, Meyrin, Montreux, Pfäffikon, Schaffhausen, St. Moritz, St. Gallen and Zurich.
Exciting fun and all-round successful evening entertainment are guaranteed in all these locations. After all, they all come up with a very extensive variety of games and offer a whole range of slot machines in addition to classic table games. There is also a Swiss jackpot to crack, which, by the way, is the largest in Europe, the winnings of which do not have to be taxed.
However, gambling itself is not the only reason to spend an evening in one of the 21 houses mentioned. Rather, guests can expect a complete package of gastronomic offerings and the typical ambience of a traditional casino. Some casinos also offer a varied evening programme, which includes, for example, a lively bar, live music or special events.
The Grand Casino Baden as a special recommendation
As much entertainment as is certainly offered at all locations, one casino in particular stands out that should definitely not be missed – the Grand Casino in the charming spa town of Baden near Zurich. Although the rooms are elegantly furnished, there is still no strict dress code.
Rather, the house attaches great importance to putting the feel-good factor of its guests in the foreground and to creating a relaxed atmosphere. At about 20 gaming tables, you can bet to your heart’s content – regardless of whether your player’s heart beats more for blackjack, poker or roulette. And fans of heavy slot machines will also get their money’s worth, after all, there are over 200 machines
However, the Grand Casino Baden is widely known for its extraordinary culinary offerings. Among other things, the complex includes its own fish restaurant and the much-visited cocktail bar forms the centrepiece. A great outdoor area is also available to get some fresh air after hours of exciting game rounds.
If you are looking for more nightlife or want to dance until the morning hours, you can simply use the two adjoining nightclubs. If you take part in a Newcomers Night, there is a guided tour including a welcome drink for free.
