Switzerland reject IP-blocking; Czech NGO urges gov’t to act

Switzerland’s politicians have rolled back plans to require internet service providers (ISPs) to block the domains of internationally licensed online gambling sites.

Last Friday, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Swiss National Council voted 13-12 to remove the domain blocking language from the country’s proposed gambling legislation. The plans had been approved by the Council of States earlier this month despite fierce objections of industry bodies representing Swiss ISPs.

The domain-blocking proposal had the support of the country’s struggling land-based gaming industry, which accused gambling sites of siphoning off the casinos’ revenue. But ISPs complained that they were being asked to bear the costs of this shamelessly protectionist stance and said the casinos should be willing to foot the bill.

The Legal Affairs Committee offered a compromise, authorizing the Federal Gaming Commission to issue warnings to offending online operators, and to prosecute operators who neglect these warnings. The Committee also suggested re-examining the matter in five years’ time.