Swiss legislators approve ISP blocking measure

Swiss lawmakers in the lower house this week passed an online gambling ISP-blocking measure already approved by the upper house despite the lower house having previously removed such language from an earlier proposal in the Legal Affairs Committee (see previous report).

The blocking process will target all online gambling operators accessing the Swiss market without a Swiss licence.

The lower house also approved proposals that existing licensed land casino operators should have the exclusive right to online gambling licensing under the new law.

The passage of the bill, actively promoted by land casino operators in the country, was achieved despite strong political opposition and declarations that ISP-blocking is not only inefficient but undemocratic.

Internet Service Providers have objected to the domain-blocking clauses, which will inevitably involve additional work and expense for them, unless they can persuade the land casino operators to help foot the bill.

Still outstanding are issues such as whether to tax punters on their winnings, and by how much, but these are set to be discussed in further exchanges planned for mid-March.

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/game-over_illegal-gambling-sites-to-be-blocked-in-switzerland/42998068