Swiss Piglet Races Could Be Classified as Gambling Under National Law
Tania Levees
02 May 2025
Comment 0
The traditional piglet races held during the OLMA agricultural fair in St. Gallen (Switzerland) have triggered a legal standoff between city officials and the Intercantonal Gambling Authority (Gespa), the country’s gambling regulator. According to Swissinfo.ch, the controversy centers on bets placed during the races.
Each year at OLMA, spectators place small wagers on which piglet will be the first to reach the feeding trough.
Organizers insist the event is purely entertainment and say it’s run under a local license issued by municipal authorities.
Gespa, however, maintains that the races fall under the scope of Switzerland’s gambling law (Geldspielgesetz) and must be regulated accordingly.
The regulator previously took the case to the St. Gallen administrative court, which ruled against Gespa. The authority then appealed to the country’s Federal Supreme Court, which agreed that Gespa has the right to investigate whether piglet betting qualifies as a form of wagering or lottery.
As a result, the St. Gallen piglet races could soon be officially classified as gambling under Swiss law.
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