Swiss Casino GGR Declines by 2.1% in 2025, Reports ESBK

According to recent data from ESBK, Swiss casinos reported a total gross gaming revenue (GGR) of CHF878.5 million ($1.08 billion) in 2025, reflecting a decline of 2.1% from the CHF898 million generated in 2024. The breakdown of the total reveals CHF564.9 million from land-based operations, which is a 3.9% decrease year-over-year, while online activities generated CHF313.6 million, marking a modest increase of 1.2%. These figures align with wider trends in Switzerland's regulated gambling sector. Data published earlier this month by Gespa, the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority, indicated that turnover from lotteries and sports betting fell by 2.4% compared to the previous year, totaling CHF3.87 billion, with gross player yield declining by 3.7% to CHF1.203 billion. The revenues reported by ESBK contributed to the federal casino levy, which amounted to CHF263.1 million, also a 2.1% decrease over the previous year. Of this levy, CHF219.99 million went to the federal government, while cantonal authorities received CHF43.08 million. The operational budget of the ESBK was maintained at CHF10.7 million, roughly 3% of all gambling-related expenditures. Collections from fees and fines accounted for CHF9.36 million of these expenses, supplemented by CHF1.35 million from the federal treasury. Last year marked the start of a new concession cycle lasting until 2044, concluding the previous regulatory period. At the end of the year, Switzerland had 20 land-based casinos and nine online operators. Significant operational changes were noted during the year, including the closure of Casino St. Moritz in April due to financial difficulties, leading to the ESBK revoking its concession in August, with no plans for re-tendering before a federal review in 2028. Casino Schaffhausen permanently closed in October after 23 years, with its staff and assets being absorbed by Casino Winterthur, while Casino Davos temporarily closed for relocation before reopening on 15 December after a regulatory inspection. In the online sector, Mendrisio launched its online gambling operations in July 2025, whereas Casino Basel and Casino Montreux exited the online market and had their licence extensions revoked after assessing that operations were not financially viable. Prilly was granted an extension until 31 October 2026 to commence operations due to unexpected building remediation needs. All casinos had already received new agreements for the year 2025 from the Swiss Federal Council back in 2024. The ESBK further emphasized its commitment to player protection through the enforcement of a nationwide exclusion register, Spielsperre, which has seen yearly increases in registrations since the reforms of the 2019 gambling law. Starting 7 January 2025, Switzerland and Liechtenstein began mutual recognition of exclusion orders, making bans enforceable in both jurisdictions. However, the commission raised concerns about the management of the exclusion register, noting issues with outdated information and the inadequacy of data on players’ current risk statuses. Legislative changes to improve the federal money-games law or its ordinance were suggested to enhance the system's efficiency. A significant rise in illegal online gambling within Switzerland was reported for 2025, mirroring trends seen across Europe. Enforcement efforts included blocking 580 domains linked to unauthorized online gambling and initiating 105 new investigation cases. The ESBK worked closely with cantonal police and prosecutors on joint operations and training, also calling for enhanced European regulatory cooperation to combat cross-border illegal gambling.