Online gambling rules may get relaxed in Switzerland
The Swiss government has recently published a draft proposal towards regulating online poker and Internet gaming.
According to Swissinfo, the new forms of gambling could generate revenue of up to an estimated $22 million annually. Online lotteries and bets over the Internet are presently allowed under the Swiss law.
It is being felt that without regulation, the black market is growing, the players are unprotected and the states go away empty-handed. Not only tax money is staying out of the monopoly jurisdiction but also the gamblers and players are endangered by the uncontrolled offer.
The proposal would relax current restrictions by offering a yet-to-be-defined number of licences to companies registered in the country, with the resulting gaming products to be offered only to Swiss residents. In parallel, Swiss government would prosecute any unlicenced operators that continue doing business with Swiss citizens.
Also, it has emerged that the government intends to uphold a ban on gambling over the telephone and interactive television, according to a statement.
The change in the law is subject to approval by the Parliament.
