Questions & Answers
The Group ▾
The NOVUM SWISS Group's core business focuses on the gaming and entertainment industry. The Group comprises NOVUM SWISS AG as the management and holding company and its subsidiaries, ACE SWISS Holding AG (Swiss casino investments), Gryphon Invest AG (international casino and technology investments) and ACE Invest AG (Swiss real estate).
ACE SWISS Holding AG with its subsidiaries (together the "ACE SWISS Group") is part of 100% of NOVUM SWISS AG. It was founded in 2000 and has therefore been active on the Swiss market for over 25 years. With the ADMIRAL Casino in Mendrisio and the minority shareholding in the Stadtcasino Baden Group, ACE SWISS Holding AG operates exclusively in the Swiss casino business.
Grypon Invest AG is the sister company of ACE SWISS Holding AG and also a 100% subsidiary of NOVUM SWISS AG. The Gryphon Group operates over 230 terrestrial casinos and around 200 sports betting locations as well as online casinos outside Switzerland in various European countries (including Spain, Liechtenstein, the Czech Republic and some south-eastern European countries). Gryphon Invest AG also operates over 100 real estate properties in various European countries.
The NOVOMATIC Group (www.novomatic.com), consisting of NOVOMATIC AG and its several hundred international subsidiaries, is a globally active, integrated gaming technology and entertainment group with over 40 years of experience as a producer of innovative high-tech gaming equipment and operator of gaming facilities, including casinos, gaming halls and sports betting outlets. The Group has developed into Europe's leading and one of the world's largest gaming technology groups, employing around 25,000 people and operating successfully in around 50 countries! NOVUM SWISS AG holds approx. 10% of the shares and approx. 90% are held by the Austrian holding company, Novo Invest GmbH.
As a leading global player within the gaming industry, the NOVOMATIC Group is vertically integrated and consequently both a provider of high-tech gaming equipment and an operator of gaming venues. In addition to offering innovative terrestrial gaming equipment, the NOVOMATIC Group's business activities also include the development of gaming content for licensed offline and online providers as well as the operation of online games and sports betting platforms. NOVOMATIC's many international blockbusters include the market-leading Book of Ra™ and Lucky Lady's Charm™ games.
No. NOVUM SWISS AG holds approx. 10% in NOVOMATIC AG. The remaining approx. 90% are held by the Austrian company Novo Invest GmbH, which - like NOVUM SWISS AG - is majority-owned by Prof. Johann Graf.
The casinos in Switzerland ▾
ACE SWISS Holding AG with its subsidiaries (together the "ACE SWISS Group") is part of 100% of NOVUM SWISS AG. It was founded in 2000 and has therefore been active on the Swiss market for over 20 years. With the ADMIRAL Casino in Mendrisio and the minority holding in Casino Baden, ACE SWISS Holding AG operates exclusively in the Swiss casino business.
Please refer to the section "Who is ACE SWISS Holding AG?".
CASINÒ ADMIRAL SA, a 100% subsidiary of ACE SWISS Holding AG, has been operating the casino in Mendrisio since 2002, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2022.
The ADMIRAL Casino in Mendrisio holds a B license. There are currently 21 licensed casinos in Switzerland. Of these, 8 have an A license and 13 have a B license. 10 casinos also operate an online casino. The new licenses run until the end of 2044.
The differences between an A and B concession are:
- The maximum stake on slot machines in terrestrial casinos is limited to CHF 25 per game in casinos with a B license;
- 100% of the casino tax for casinos with an A license flows into the AHV. For casinos with a B license, 60% of the casino tax goes to the AHV and 40% to the canton in which the casino is located.
- The same legal requirements regarding security and player protection apply to A and B licenses.
At its meeting on February 26, 2025, the Federal Council granted our Casino ADMIRAL Mendrisio the license extension to operate online casino games in Switzerland. The offer www.admiral.ch will go online in the coming months as soon as the Swiss Federal Gaming Board (SFGB) has issued the necessary gaming licenses. There are currently ten online casinos in Switzerland. Details of the games and functions on offer will be announced shortly.
In 2024, ADMIRAL Casino Mendrisio generated a BSE of around CHF 72 million, which corresponds to a market share of around 12% (out of a total of 21 casinos in Switzerland).
ADMIRAL is the internationally renowned brand of operational gaming companies, which is licensed from the sister company of ACE SWISS Holding AG, NOVOMATIC AG.
The casino in Mendrisio, in which ACE SWISS Holding AG holds a 100% stake, operates under the ADMIRAL brand. In addition, the corporate identity was revised and uniformly implemented in 2021.
Re-licensing of Swiss casinos ▾
The new concessions will run from January 1, 2025 for 20 years until 2044.
The Federal Gaming Board issued a public invitation to tender for the procedure on June 1, 2022 and gave interested parties until October 31, 2022 to submit applications to the Board for the attention of the Federal Council. Switzerland has now been divided into 23 zones - Lausanne and Winterthur have been added to the previous 21 zones. The Federal Council issues a license for each zone. Anyone who met the legal requirements could apply for each zone.
The Swiss Federal Gaming Board ("SFGB") received a total of 29 license applications. In four zones (Basel, St. Gallen, Lausanne, Valais), several applicants applied for the same license. In addition, twelve of these applicants simultaneously applied for an extension of the license to operate online casino games. The SFGB first carried out a formal review of all applications, focusing on the completeness of the information and documents. This was followed by a substantive review of the applications. At the same time, the SFGB requested the approval of the cantons and municipalities in which the casinos are located to operate a casino on their cantonal or municipal territory.
In 18 zones, the existing casinos were the only ones to apply for and receive a new license. In the four zones with competing applications, the Federal Council granted the existing casinos a new license. The Federal Council granted all 12 of these applicants - the 10 current and 2 new ones that applied for a license extension to operate online casino games - a new license extension. The Swiss casino landscape currently consists of 21 land-based and 10 online casinos. Casino Schaffhausen is expected to continue operating until the reopening of Casino Winterthur at the end of 2025 and will only then be closed. The new casino in Prilly near Lausanne has also been delayed. The planned online gaming offerings at the Locarno and St. Moritz casinos have also been delayed.
The contributions to the OASI and to the cantons ▾
The basic levy rate for gross gaming income (BSE) generated in terrestrial casinos is 40%. It is levied on gross gaming revenue up to CHF 10 million. For each additional million francs, the marginal levy rate increases by 0.5% up to the maximum rate of 80%.
For gross gaming revenues generated online, the base levy rate is 20%. It is levied on gross gaming revenues up to CHF 3 million. The marginal levy rate increases in five tranches up to the maximum rate of 80%.
The economic benefit ▾
Since opening, Swiss casinos have paid over CHF 8.5 billion in contributions to the AHV and the cantons.
Since its licensing in 2002, the casino has generated gross gaming revenue of around CHF 1.7 billion. Of this, around CHF 900 million or around 54% has been paid to the AHV and the Canton of Ticino as part of the casino levy. Profit taxes in this period amounted to around CHF 47 million. Regional expenditure totaling around CHF 700 million was also incurred. Regional expenditure includes: Rents, wage costs, sponsorship, contributions to organizations and to the municipality, energy costs, cleaning costs and catering expenses. Around 225 employees currently work in the casino.
Gambling addiction and player protection ▾
In casinos, players must be protected in accordance with strict legal requirements and persons at risk of gambling addiction must be identified and banned. The SFGB regularly reviews casinos' compliance with these requirements and measures. The NOVUM SWISS Group has a strong international commitment to responsible gaming. Among other things, we invest heavily in the training and further education of our experienced employees.
Before entering the casino, guests must identify themselfs with a valid official ID. For online casinos, customers must submit a copy of their ID. This is to ensure that the guest are at least 18 years old and not included in the national register of barred persons.
According to the results of the study jointly commissioned by the SFGB and the intercantonal gaming regulator GESPA (until December 31, 2020, the intercantonal lottery and betting commission Comlot), in 2017, 2.8% of the people surveyed exhibited high-risk gaming behavior and 0.2% exhibited pathological gaming behavior. The downward trend was also confirmed among frequent gamblers.
Each of our casinos works with an addiction prevention center and a treatment facility to which problem gamblers are reported and referred. We actively ensure that the best advice and support is accessible at all times. A social concept tailored to each casino also sets out measures to prevent, reduce where necessary, or if possible to eliminate any possible economically, socially, or psychologically harmful effects of gambling.