The Casinos Austria Group’s involvement in Switzerland already began long before the passing of the Swiss Gaming Act.

In 1980‘s, Casinos Austria supported various local associations in their political endeavours to have gaming legalised.

Many years passed until, in 1993, the first cantonal boule and machine gaming operation was opened in Lugano in collaboration with Swiss partners.

This was followed by the opening of the cantonal machine gaming casino in St. Moritz (1994) and Lucerne (1995). All projects by the Casinos Austria Group in Switzerland were realised in partnership with Swiss companies.

Already at that time the goal was to establish the broadest possible base in the Swiss market. Out of the cantonal machine gaming operations there then developed the close cooperation with Swiss Casinos Holding AG and Kursaal Casino Luzern AG that continues to the present day. Today‘s extremely close and successful cooperation with Kongress + Kursaal Bern AG came about much later.

With a view to an even stronger position in the future Swiss casino market, Casinos Austria International GesmbH, Vienna acquired a shareholding in the casinos owned by its partner of many years‘ standing, Swiss Casinos Holding AG at the start of 2000. The acquisition involved 30% of the shares held by Swiss Casinos in the companies concerned.
With this move, Casinos Austria acquired a stake in the Kursaal Casinos in Rheinfelden, Locarno, Schaffhausen and Thun as well as the gaming operations in Lugano, Lucerne and St. Moritz.
In order to ensure effective management of the shareholdings and to press ahead with the preparations for the award of the gaming operation concessions, at the beginning of 2000 Casinos Austria Swiss AG was established as an backing organisation and coordination point in Switzerland for the Casinos Austria Group centre of expertise. The Casinos Austria International GesmbH, Vienna holdings in the A and B casino projects in Switzerland were transferred within the group to Casinos Austria Swiss AG, based in Zug.
On 24.10.2001, the Swiss Federal Council awarded 7 A-concessions and 14 B-concession based on the recommendations of the Swiss Federal Gaming Commission.

The A-concessions reflect the range of games and permissible limits of the international standard, while the B-concessions are subject to certain limitations (max. 150 gaming machines, max. three different table games, restrictions in the maximum stake). As shareholder and know-how-partner, Casinos Austria Swiss AG was delighted to be awarded 3 of the total of 7 A-concessions (Lucerne, Bern and St. Gallen) plus 3 B-concessions (Pfäffikon/SZ, Schaffhausen and St. Moritz). This means that Casinos Austria Swiss owns the largest portfolio of shareholdings of all casino operators in the Swiss casino market.