Switzerland to ban offshore casino sites from July 1, 2019

Switzerland will have some of Europe’s strictest online gaming laws when the Gambling Act comes into effect on July 1 this year.

The new legislation will prohibit foreign-based gaming and wagering companies from accepting any player located within Swiss borders.

The nation’s gambling regulators announced on Monday that they were working on a comprehensive blacklist of outlawed online casinos, betting firms and other gambling operators.

While offshore companies can no longer service the Swiss market, local operators now have the right to apply for online gambling licences.

That means the alpine country’s 21 land-based gambling halls can begin offering real money casino games via the web, while lotteries will take charge of the online sports betting industry.

Critics say the law changes amount to a serious breach of civil and commercial liberties, but 73 per cent of Swiss adults voted in favour of the new regulations when the matter was put to a referendum last year.

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