Thousands of Gambling Bans Impacting Problematic Players in Switzerland Since 2022
In Switzerland, it seems that restrictions on gambling may inadvertently fuel an escalation in gambling addiction issues.
A report from the Swiss news portal Blick indicates that gambling bans have shown promising outcomes in combating gambling addiction and related excessive spending. Over 12,000 such bans have been enforced on problematic gamblers in Switzerland since 2022. Gambling bans, a legal measure in Swiss gambling laws since 2002, aim to exclude individuals with problematic gambling habits from the entire gaming landscape.
Researcher Suzanne Lischer from the University of Lucerne asserted that the beneficial effects appear only after a ban duration of at least six months. The financial condition of those affected has improved, along with a decrease in signs of gambling issues. Conversely, no improvements were observed in non-banned gamblers. Lischer added that shorter ban periods would not yield the desired results:
Time is required for the intervention to yield results– Suzanne Lischer, a gambling researcher from Lucerne, Blick
Individuals under a gambling ban in Switzerland are prohibited from accessing online gaming offerings from gambling providers and participating in casino games at any of the Swiss casinos. However, Swiss players can petition for ban lifting after three months.
OASIS: Germany's Player Ban System
In Germany, the player ban system OASIS serves as a pivotal protective tool. All online casinos, land-based gaming venues, and authorized betting providers with a German license from the Joint Gaming Authority of the States (GGL) are connected to the OASIS ban system since 2021.
OASIS, meaning Online Query Player Status, enables the inclusion of individuals with problematic gambling behavior in the ban list and exclusion from the entire German gaming offer. Operators must query OASIS data for each player. This requirement applies to both online providers and stationary gaming hall operators. Additionally, players have an option to initiate a self-ban and exclude themselves from the gaming offer.
In Germany, requests for ban lifting can be submitted after a three-month ban period, to the Government Presidium of Darmstadt.
The positive impact of the ban system on player protection in Switzerland is evident from these developments. The future course of this trend continues to be a matter of observation.
Online casinos in Germany are now part of OASIS, a player ban system that helps prevent problematic gambling. Since 2021, all German online casinos, land-based gaming venues, and betting providers are linked to OASIS, following the lead of Switzerland which has been enforcing gambling bans since 2002.
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