Switzerland's regulated lottery and sports betting sector faced a slight decline in 2025, as indicated by the latest statistics from Gespa, the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority. The figures, released on Tuesday, show reductions in gross gambling revenue across most categories, with online channels comprising about a quarter of the industry's gross player yield (Bruttospielertrag, BSE).
Total operator turnover from cross-state lotteries and sports betting reached CHF3.87 billion ($4.86 billion) in 2025, a decrease of 2.4% from 2024. The gross player yield (BSE) also fell by 3.7%, from CHF1.25 billion the previous year to CHF1.203 billion. Online sales grew slightly, now making up 24% of BSE, up from 23% in 2024; this modest increase was mainly due to the greater drop in land-based revenues rather than actual growth in online gambling.
Average stakes per capita on large lotteries and sports betting were CHF424 in 2025, a decline from CHF438 in 2024, translating to a theoretical net spend per person of CHF132, down from CHF138 the prior year, based on a Swiss population of 9,124,300.
During 2025, Gespa authorized 62 new games for lottery firms and approved 59 modifications. Compliance checks were also conducted through test purchases at land-based lottery outlets to ensure adherence to age restrictions for sports betting, with results received just before year-end.
Focusing on specific product lines, lotto products, which include EuroMillions and Swiss Lotto in both land-based and online formats, yielded CHF1.277 billion in turnover and CHF583.1 million in BSE, indicating a decline of 3.3%. Scratchcards produced CHF810.5 million in turnover, resulting in a BSE of CHF316.7 million, down 2.9%. Sports betting reached a turnover of CHF1.174 billion with a BSE of CHF223.2 million, reflecting a reduction of 4.4%.
The steeper declines were seen in the PMU (horse racing pools), where turnover fell to CHF103.5 million—down by 13.7%—and a BSE of CHF27.3 million, which represented an 11.9% decrease. Terminal-based loterie électronique reported CHF507.2 million in turnover and a BSE of CHF52.3 million, decreasing by 4.7%. Notably, lottos and scratchcards continue to dominate the market, making up about 75% of total BSE, a figure that has remained consistent year-on-year. Sports betting, excluding PMU, contributed around 19% of BSE.
The two main cross-state lottery operators, Swisslos and Loterie Romande, reported a combined net profit of CHF814 million in 2025, down 4.7% from CHF854 million in 2024. Swisslos experienced a 5.7% decrease in net profit, bringing it to CHF562 million, while Loterie Romande saw a 2.3% drop to CHF252 million. Under Swiss regulations, these profits are allocated by cantons for public benefit sectors like culture, social services, and sports.
Despite the slight increase in online BSE's share, which rose to 24%, the total online BSE declined by 1.7% across Switzerland, while land-based BSE saw a sharper decrease of 4.3%. Swisslos noted a 5.1% reduction in land-based BSE and a 3.2% drop online, while Loterie Romande reported a 2.9% drop for land-based but a 3.4% increase in online BSE.
Regionally, Swisslos’ territory relied heavily on lottos and scratchcards, comprising 78% of its BSE, whereas Loterie Romande showcased a more balanced mix with approximately 12% attribution from loterie électronique. Meanwhile, the cross-state skill games market experienced a modest increase of 2.3% in BSE, totaling CHF19.2 million, maintaining a stable number of licensed operators at 17, though the number of physical gambling machines decreased from 1,540 to 1,406. Ten online skill-game products were reported in 2025, and for small games, authorities issued 1,225 licenses for small lotteries, up from 1,172 in 2024.
For local sports betting, nine licenses were approved across five cantons, allowing stakes totalling CHF2.802 million. In the realm of small poker tournaments, 77 licenses were granted to 36 organizers across 19 cantons, which is slightly lower than in 2024.
In 2025, Gespa reviewed 42 cantonal criminal rulings and supported 25 criminal investigations into illegal gambling operations. Their efforts included assisting with searches, conducting forensic analyses, and creating expert reports for legal proceedings. Additionally, Gespa published five domain blocklists throughout the year, culminating in a total of 671 internet domains associated with unlawful foreign gambling operations by the year’s end. The reported downturn in turnover and net per capita spending follows a phase of growth in Switzerland's regulated online gambling market after the 2019 amendment of the Federal Act on Gambling (BGS).
