With the entry into force of the law that will allow online gambling on established websites, as of January 1 of next year, Switzerland will also allow small poker tournaments outside the gaming houses. The implementation of the new regulation will take six months, so that casinos that intend to operate online game should request an extension of their licenses
For the Federal Council to decide in the first half of 2019 on the applications submitted. A program of social measures will be established, but the new ordinance no longer requires operators to collaborate with an institution specialized in additions.
The cantons can allow small poker tournaments and avoid lotteries and illegal games. The game with family or friends will not require authorization. But strict conditions are put in place.
For each tournament, each initial bet may not exceed 200 francs and its total sum will be 20,000 francs. It will be prohibited to operate more than four tournaments per day and per place. A player who participates in several tournaments cannot initially commit more than 300 francs in total, and the sum of the initial bets for all tournaments will be limited to 30,000 francs.
In addition, these tournaments will have to take place in a private circle with a small number of players. Games offered on a platform operated for professional purposes or as part of an automated offer will not be considered private, for this the Federal Council raised the ceiling from 25,000 to 50,000 francs for raffles and from 400,000 to 500,000 francs for small games used to finance events.
To avoid manipulation of sports competitions, bets cannot be offered for certain competitions or sporting events. A new national platform will centralize information about specific suspicions. Online casinos will be taxed just like traditional gambling houses.
