Switzerland: when does a promotion fall outside the gambling law?
No, where the exemption applies. Short-term sales-promotion games have sat outside the Gambling Act since 2019.
Rated: straightforward
Planning effort, not legal risk, and not legal advice. Before every launch the mechanic is confirmed by a law firm admitted in the market.
In detail
Short-term sales-promotion games are exempt from the Gambling Act (BGS Art. 1(2)(d), since 2019) when entry is only via purchase at market-conforming prices; no free-entry route required
No permit when the exemption applies
Prizes are subject to withholding tax where a single prize exceeds the exempt threshold, CHF 1,100 for prizes from 1 January 2026; this covers prizes in kind, not only cash, for which the promoter uses the notification procedure
Not a blank cheque: fair-trading law (UWG) still applies; the exemption is for short campaigns
Since 2019 the Gambling Act (BGS) expressly exempts short-term sales-promotion games where entry is only through buying a product or service at market-conforming prices and there is no risk of excessive gambling (Art. 1(2)(d)). A free-entry route is not required, which reverses the pre-2019 position. The exemption is not a blank cheque: the promotion still has to satisfy fair-trading law (UWG), and it is meant for short campaigns. Prizes are also subject to Swiss withholding tax once a single prize exceeds the exempt threshold. Whether a mechanic sits inside the exemption is confirmed by the licensed local lawyers of our network before launch, and we build the mechanic around their assessment. Status: mid-2026.
What this means for your campaign
No lead time, but the exemption is not a blank cheque: it covers short campaigns where entry runs only through a purchase at the market price. Fair-trading law still applies.
All 41 markets side by side
The permit check puts all 41 markets side by side and adds up the effort for your market selection. The full legal sources are on the market rules overview.
Planning a campaign in Switzerland?
Tell us the mechanic, the markets and the date. You get a fixed-price concept back within three business days, including the permit route per market.