been struggling with declining revenues for the last decade and online gaming should increase their revenues and given them a much needed boost.
Tere are 21 casinos currently open in Switzerland of which eight are Casino A and 13 are Casino B. Tere are a total of 253 table games and 4,400 slots with over 4.7 million visitors in 2015.
Type B casinos are restricted with a limit on game stake and prizes that they can offer to be CHF0.25 per stake or CHF25,000 maximum payout. Tey can also only operate a maximum of 250 slots and three types of gaming tables – roulette, blackjack and poker. Te total sum of all jackpots is limited to CHF200,000. Type A casinos don’t have any restrictions and can have linked jackpots.
Te casinos pay gaming tax from 40 to 80 per cent (progressive scale) calculated on their GGR. Type A casinos pay 100 per cent of their tax to the AVS whilst type B pay 60 per cent to AVS and 40 per cent to the canton.
Te casinos which rake in the highest revenues are Baden, Basel, Meyrin, Montreux and Zurich and the main casino operators are ACE Casino Holdings, Lucien Barriere, Casinos Austria and
Swiss Casino Holdings.
ACE Casino Holdings is part of the Novomatic Group and operates Casino Mendrisio, Casino Locarno and Casino Bad Ragaz whilst Lucien Barriere also operates three casinos in Switzerland.
Swiss Casinos Holdings has four casinos with a total of 53 tables and 737 slots and already offers free online casino games and once the new law is in place they plan to offer further games and services via the internet, although what exactly this will include is still yet to be clarified.
Martin Vogel, head of Marketing and Communications for Swiss Casinos group said: “Te National Council’s decision regarding the gambling law will improve the range of services on offer, increase the competitiveness of the Swiss casino industry and guarantee the continuation of the established addiction prevention system.
“Te gambling law allows small poker tournaments to be held outside of licensed casinos. However large poker tournaments are restricted to casinos, a reasonable measure considering the strict demands relating to social protection. Tis enables collaboration between
casinos and the organisers of small poker tournaments, as well as the active monitoring of players.
“In the future, Swiss Casinos will also be permitted to offer online gambling services, while measures will be taken to combat illegal online games organised by offshore casinos. Tese amendments will meet the Swiss people’s desire for online gambling services while simultaneously ensuring compliance with local laws.”
Another issue under debate for the casinos is whether the casinos in Davos or St Moritz should receive special treatment with regard to taxes and charges as so-called ‘mountain casinos’. Te aim is to strengthen tourism alongside the peripheral region’s economy. Te Federal Council however proposed to reduce the taxes by three quarters instead of one third so the issue remains at present unresolved.
Meanwhile Casinos Austria International has three casinos in their portfolio in Switzerland – Lugano, St Moritz and Bern. Tere are 350 slots and 14 tables in Bern, 364 slots and 16 tables in Lugano and 83 slots and six tables in St Moritz. CAI is a minority shareholder in Bern and Lugano and a majority shareholder in St Moritz.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
247.COM P67
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