Despite the prohibition of operating and advertising real money online casinos in Switzerland, The Swiss Casinos Group launched a free to play online casino into the Swiss market this week, effectively laying the foundation for real-money play should legal reform come about.
The new online casino, accessed through a dedicated tab on the Swiss Casinos Gruppe website, provides online play to customers 18 years-and-older who are resident of Switzerland or Liechtenstein, and provides credits that can be redeemed at terrestrial Swiss Casinos in Pfäffikon SZ, St. Gallen or Schaffhausen. Points won while playing can be redeemed for non cash prizes from a single drink to a casino aperitif party for 20 people worth CHF 1 000.
The online offering provides a choice of six card games, five table games, nine slots and four video poker games which include Blackjack, American Roulette, Craps, Sic Bo and others, with future plans including a “Freeroll Online Poker Room”.
The initiative is designed to attract potential visitors online and bring them into the Swiss Casinos Group land-based casinos with the use of incentives and rewards earned online. The company has bolstered the new offering with a social networking aspect on Facebook.