Loterie Romande

History and Legal Framework

Loterie Romande was created in 1937 by the cantons of Vaud, Geneva, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, and Jura (which joined after its creation in 1979). Its founding purpose was to offer regulated lottery games whose proceeds would serve the public good, a mission that remains unchanged. The company operates under the Swiss Federal Act on Gambling (revised in 2019) and the Intercantonal Agreement on Gambling, which grant it exclusive rights to conduct lotteries and sports betting in the Romandy region. All stakes are collected via retail terminals and the online platform; after paying prizes and operating costs, the entire net profit is transferred to the six Cantonal Distribution Bodies (CPOR), which allocate funds to thousands of projects each year.

Operations and Product Range

Loterie Romande’s product portfolio is divided into four main categories: scratch cards and e‑tickets (47 different games, including best‑sellers Carton, Solo, Dico, and Tribolo), draw games (seven fixed‑schedule draws such as EuroMillions, SwissLoto, EuroDreams, Loto Express, Magic3, Magic4, and Banco, plus supplementary draws SuperStar, SwissWin, and Joker), sports betting (on 26 sports via the JouezSport platform, covering both retail and online live betting), and horse‑race betting (a comprehensive PMU offering with Simple, Couplé, Tiercé, Quarté+, and Quinté+ wagers on about 14,000 races per year). In 2025, gross gaming revenue reached CHF 429.8 million, driven by long EuroMillions jackpot cycles and the success of Loto Express.

Technology and Partnerships

LoRo has invested in modern retail and digital technology. In 2013 it signed a contract with Scientific Games to deploy approximately 3,000 WAVE™ and Flair™ retail terminals along with central application software. In March 2025, it selected OpenBet to power its next‑generation digital and retail sportsbook. The company also uses a technology stack including Atlassian, Amazon S3, Cloudflare, Azure Front Door, and several JavaScript libraries. In 2025 it introduced a new early‑detection tool for at‑risk gamblers on its online platform, using risk‑profiling algorithms to provide personalised recommendations.

Responsible Gambling and Social Commitment

Player protection is a core operational principle. All retail staff are trained to enforce age restrictions, identify risky behaviour, and refer players to support centres. In 2025, 2,959 mystery‑shopper checks were conducted to ensure compliance. The company also applies measures such as self‑exclusion, deposit limits, and mandatory cool‑off periods. Since its creation, Loterie Romande has given more than CHF 2.5 billion to public‑utility projects. In 2025 alone it supported nearly 5,000 initiatives across culture, social welfare, health, education, sport, environment, tourism, and heritage. An example is its partnership with Mobsya, which funded the first production runs of the Thymio educational robot and donated robots to schools. Additionally, CHF 79.2 million in sales commissions were paid to its 2,350 partner retail businesses, providing vital support to local economies.

Financial Summary (2025)

Gross gaming revenue: CHF 429.8 million. Net profit distributed: CHF 252 million (all profits). Number of projects supported: nearly 5,000. Retail commission paid: CHF 79.2 million. Points of sale: 2,350. Average daily contribution: CHF 690,000.