Published last week, ESBK data laid out that Swiss casinos generated a combined GGR of CHF878.5 million ($1.08 billion) in 2025.
The CHF878.5 million figure is a 2.1% drop on the CHF898 million generated in 2024.
The 2025 total comprised CHF564.9 million from land‑based operations, a 3.9% decline compared to the previous year, and CHF313.6 million from online activities, which recorded a modest 1.2% increase.
The casino figures mirror broader trends across Switzerland’s regulated gambling sector. Separate data published earlier this month by Gespa, the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority, showed that turnover from lotteries and sports betting fell 2.4% year-on-year to CHF3.87 billion in 2025, while gross player yield declined 3.7% to CHF1.203 billion.
The ESBK revenues contributed to the federal casino levy, which amounted to CHF263.1 million, reflecting a 2.1% decrease year‑on‑year. Of this levy, CHF219.99 million was allocated to the federal government, with cantonal authorities receiving CHF43.08 million.
The ESBK’s operational budget remained lean at CHF10.7 million, representing approximately 3% of total gambling-related outlays. Fee and fine collections covered CHF9.36 million of these costs, while CHF1.35 million was supplemented by the federal treasury.
Licence changes
Last year marked the commencement of a new concession cycle extending to 2044, ending the previous regulatory period. By the year’s close, Switzerland hosted 20 land-based casinos and nine online operators.
Several noteworthy licence and operational changes took place during the year. Casino St. Moritz ceased operations in April due to financial difficulties, with the ESBK subsequently revoking its concession in August. There are currently no plans to re-tender the licence ahead of a federal review scheduled for 2028.
Casino Schaffhausen permanently closed in October after 23 years in operation, with its staff and assets absorbed by Casino Winterthur. Meanwhile, Casino Davos temporarily closed to relocate its premises before reopening on 15 December following a successful regulatory inspection.
In the online sector, Mendrisio launched online gambling operations in July 2025, while Casino Basel and Casino Montreux both withdrew from the online market and had their licence extensions revoked after determining the business was not financially sustainable. Elsewhere, Prilly was granted an extension until 31 October 2026 to commence operations due to unforeseen building remediation requirements.
The Swiss Federal Council had granted new agreements to all casinos for the 2025 year back in 2024.
Exclusion registers and illegal gambling
The ESBK reinforced its commitment to player protection through enforcement of the nationwide exclusion register Spielsperre. Registrations in the exclusion system have continued to rise annually since the 2019 gambling law reforms.
Notably, starting 7 January 2025, Switzerland and Liechtenstein implemented automatic mutual recognition of exclusion orders, ensuring that bans issued in one jurisdiction would be enforceable in the other.
However, the commission expressed concerns over the exclusion register’s maintenance, citing instances where information was outdated or insufficient to reflect players’ current risk statuses.
The ESBK suggested that legislative amendments to the federal money‑games law or its ordinance might be required to enhance the system’s effectiveness.
The report identified a “strong” surge in illegal online gambling within Switzerland during 2025, consistent with wider European patterns.
Enforcement activities included 580 domain blocks targeting unauthorised online gambling websites and 105 new investigative cases initiated.
The ESBK collaborated closely with cantonal police forces and prosecutors, coordinating joint operations and training events. The commission also called for expanded European cooperation among regulatory bodies to tackle cross-border illegal gambling.
