Swiss, Spanish, Swedish and Italian enforcement actions highlight growing concern over the scale and impact of Europe’s gambling black market
Authorities in Switzerland have disrupted an illegal gambling operation as part of a broader, coordinated effort across Europe to combat unlicensed gambling activity and the criminal networks that support it.
In a joint operation, the Swiss Federal Casino Commission (ESBK), working alongside local police, raided an illicit gambling venue in St. Gallen. A second location in Rüti, in the canton of Zurich, was also searched in connection with a suspect believed to be involved in the operation. During the raid, officers found 26 individuals at the premises, along with two illegal slot machines and a room set up for poker games. Twenty people were questioned at the scene, while investigators seized IT equipment and more than CHF 10,000 (£9,405) in cash.
Under Switzerland’s Gambling Act, anyone found to be organising, operating or making casino-style games available without a licence is committing a criminal offence. Convictions can result in prison sentences of up to five years or significant financial penalties. Swiss authorities have increasingly prioritised enforcement as part of wider efforts to protect licensed operators and consumers.
The action in Switzerland coincided with a series of high-profile raids elsewhere in Europe. Europol confirmed that on 28 and 29 November, around 150 officers from the Spanish National Police and the Swedish Police Authority carried out coordinated searches across six premises in Stockholm, Sweden, and Murcia, Spain. The operation targeted an organised criminal group allegedly running an extensive illegal gambling network with an estimated annual turnover of €20m.
During the raids, police seized cash, luxury watches and other valuables, as well as drugs at a Swedish property believed to be operating as an illegal gambling club. Five individuals were arrested, and investigators uncovered evidence pointing to money laundering, drug trafficking and potential human trafficking activities linked to the network.
Italy has also seen recent enforcement action. Authorities in the Salerno region arrested three individuals connected to an illegal gambling ring believed to have generated more than €25m in revenue between 2019 and 2022.
These raids follow the release of concerning data from a Yield Sec study commissioned by the European Casino Association (ECA). The study estimates that the EU’s illegal gambling market generates €80.6bn in gross gaming revenue annually, more than double the size of the regulated sector, resulting in an estimated €20bn in lost tax revenue each year across the bloc.
ECA Chair Erwin van Lambaart described illegal gambling as “an economic and societal threat,” warning that revenues flowing to criminal operators undermine public finances, legitimate businesses and community safety. In response, regulators across Europe have pledged closer cooperation, including intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement, to counter the growing black market threat.
