DACHL Regulators Deepen Cooperation Against Illegal Online Gambling

Representatives from the four countries met on 9 and 10 September 2026. Switzerland hosted the meeting. Its delegation included the Federal Gaming Board, the Federal Office of Justice and the Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority (Gespa). The agenda also covered prediction markets, sports betting integrity, and data on player exclusions.

What Led to the Bern Meeting

The September talks continued work from the previous DACHL meeting in Halle in October 2025. Regulators compared their use of IP blocking and other measures against illegal sites. They also discussed illegal amateur sports betting, identity checks and signs of gambling harm.

Germany’s Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) widened this approach in January 2026. At ICE Barcelona, it called on licensed gambling companies to help cut ties with illegal operators. It also highlighted payment blocking, IP blocking and action against illegal advertising.

Prediction markets soon became another concern. These services let users bet on political, economic and other future events. European regulators issued a joint statement on prediction-market risks in June. In August, the GGL issued a legal guidance document stating that Germany cannot license bets on social, political, or economic events. Shortly after, Switzerland blacklisted 214 more domains, including four new mirror sites built around the Polymarket name.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein already had another form of cross-border cooperation. They began exchanging data on excluded players in January 2025. The Bern meeting gave them a chance to review the first results.

What the Regulators Agreed in Bern

Illegal gambling sites often use companies from several countries. One business may run the site, while others supply games, combine game catalogues or provide technical services. Regulators can miss part of the operation when they act alone.

The four authorities now plan to share more information about these companies. They also want to coordinate their response to new gambling products earlier. Prediction markets will remain one of the main topics.

The regulators also discussed a wider exchange of player-exclusion data. Switzerland and Liechtenstein may serve as examples for other countries. However, Germany and Austria did not announce their intention to join. The group set no date for an expansion.

Sports betting also remained on the agenda. The authorities discussed the Macolin Convention, which targets match-fixing. They also reviewed recent European court rulings on online gambling.

What Will Change After the Meeting

The four authorities agreed to maintain regular contact and exchange information more quickly. This could help them identify the same operator or supplier in several countries. It could also support joint action later.

The Bern statement sets no deadlines. The results will depend on how quickly the authorities use the information they share.