Vote against impeding online access in Switzerland
Swiss youth parties have accumulated enough votes for a referendum on the Gambling Act. Their aim is to remove the ban on overseas online casinos. The help they received from the industry has sparked controversy.
The internet censorship issue is not just relevant in Germany. While the NetzDG (Network Enforcement Act) triggers discussions on free speech in Germany, the matter of concern in Switzerland is the Gambling Act. Since last year, network blocks have been in place following this law. Playing at foreign online casino websites is forbidden in Switzerland; only offers from companies with an offline license are allowed.
Previously, this situation was more of a theoretical one, with little practical implications. But it's been quite different in reality. Many Swiss people, motivated by the lack of a thriving domestic online gambling industry, have been using international casino sites, without any issues. However, that all changed last year. Authorities compelled internet service providers to block access to foreign casino websites. In practice, this was translated into network redirection: when attempting to access one of these banned sites, Swiss internet users are redirected to a page with a notice.
The opposition from the youth organizations
Various parties have objected to this infringement on the Internet freedom. Internet providers, network associations, and youth parties, which are against this move. These youth organizations declared their opposition and collected signatures for a referendum. In the end, they managed to secure 65,000 people's support, exceeding the 50,000 signatures required. While these signatures require certification by January 18, the path to a referendum is clear.
The young politicians are not primarily focused on online gambling. Their foremost concern is the maintenance of an open and free network. They fear that the Gambling Act could establish a precedent, leading to other industries seeking similar regulations. After all, if a particular group or company thinks their offer is under threat from online options, they could demand blocks, citing casinos as an example.
The involvement from abroad
However, these so-called saviors of the free web are not entirely blameless. The committee overseeing the referendum received financial assistance from foreign gambling companies - a fact that contributed to gathering enough signatures. Andri Silberschmidt, the president of the main party involved, "Die Jungfreisinnigen", openly talks about their cooperation in an interview with Luzerner Zeitung. According to him, this collaboration serves the interests of Switzerland as a whole. The possibility of foreign companies receiving a license would not change his opinion:
"If foreign providers were licensed, Switzerland could generate more taxes in the future than with the current law."
The Young Greens, though, have a different stance and are independently collecting signatures, owing to industry contributions. If more than 50,000 valid signatures pass through the certification process, expected to be completed by January 18, this would just be the starting point to lift the network blocks. Nevertheless, eliminating the Gambling Act would require the majority of Swiss voters to vote against it. And the media campaign needed for this is expected to be costly. The young politicians are hoping for assistance from Swico, the business association for digital Switzerland. But international gambling companies standing to benefit from a license could also contribute to the expenses. The participants must recognize that this would again open them up to criticism.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
