Official numbers revealed this week by the organism that controls gambling in Switzerland are showing a big rise in the amount of bets collected in this country in recent times and predict a promising future for the industry.

The data show that the Swiss are strongly attracted by gambling and this was demonstrated when, last year, it was revealed that the money spent on gambling by the Swiss reached the incredible number of 2.8 billion Swiss francs (approximately 2.31 billion dollars), biting in this way the national record of fund raising for the concept of gambling.

The Swiss bet approximately 374 Swiss francs per person in 2006, compared to 368 in 2005. This increase is part of a tendency that has remained unchanged since the beginning of this century in the country. For the first time, the earnings generated by the casinos were superior to those collected by the lottery during 2006, this mostly due to the popularity of slot machines.

According to the laws that regulate gambling in Switzerland, the money raised for this concept is spent on social causes and goes to the Treasury. The 19 casinos that are presently operating in the country have paid a total of 495 million Swiss francs in taxes in the last year.