Switzerland’s Intercantonal Supervisory Authority on Gambling (Gespa) has published its annual report on how net profits from lotteries and sports betting were allocated to public-benefit purposes during the 2025 contribution year.
Gespa regulates lotteries, sports betting and some skill-based games. Importantly, it does not regulate casinos, which fall under the Federal Gaming Board.
The report covers information submitted by all Swiss cantons and the Principality of Liechtenstein, providing an overview of how gambling proceeds are distributed across areas including culture, sport, social welfare and environmental initiatives.
Gespa said most cantons are providing clear and understandable information, with traceability improving significantly in many jurisdictions. However, some discrepancies remain, particularly concerning differences between reported revenues and expenditure, changes in fund reserves and inconsistencies between opening and closing balances.
The authority also highlighted major differences in fund management costs, ranging from zero in cantons where funding is handled through general state budgets to more than CHF 2m ($2.44m) elsewhere. Gespa stressed that individual cantons remain responsible for providing complete and transparent information.
Nevertheless, Gespa said its overall assessment of transparency remains positive, despite some areas requiring further clarification.
According to the cantons, total payouts from the two lottery companies, Swisslos and Loterie Romande, rose to CHF 773.4m in the reporting year, up 13.7% year-on-year from CHF 680.5m in 2024.
Loterie Romande is the official lottery operator for French-speaking Switzerland and holds a monopoly on lotteries and certain types of sports betting in the region. Swisslos serves as the equivalent operator for the German-speaking and Italian-speaking regions.
Since 7 January 2025, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have enforced an agreement that bans individuals barred from casinos in one country from gambling in the other, strengthening protections against gambling addiction
