Roulette online for Bern
Roulette at ESBK-licensed Swiss casinos – European, French and live, played in CHF. European and French roulette have the clearly lower house edge.
Roulette for players in Bern
Roulette is a fixed part of the table-game offering at every licensed Swiss online casino. Anyone playing from Bern will find the classic variants – European, French and American roulette – as well as modern live roulette with a real croupier via video stream. Play is in Swiss francs (CHF), and deposits can be made conveniently via TWINT, among other methods.
Since the Money Gaming Act (BGS) came into force on 1 January 2019, online roulette in Switzerland has been legal only with providers holding a licence from the Swiss Federal Gaming Board (ESBK). With the Bern provider 7melons.ch from the Grand Casino Kursaal Bern, there is even an operator with a local connection to the federal city.
This page explains the rules, the differences between the variants, bets and payouts, the house edge as well as the legal and tax situation in Switzerland – factually and without invented bonus promises. As of: June 2026.
Best Swiss casinos for roulette
A selection of ESBK-licensed providers offering classic roulette and live roulette in CHF. Order according to our editorial assessment – without invented bonus or RTP figures.
| Casino | Operator | ESBK licence | Currency | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7melons.ch | Grand Casino Kursaal Bern | ✓ | CHF | Bern provider · Classic & live roulette |
| Swiss Casinos | Swiss Casinos Group | ✓ | CHF | Live roulette with Swiss croupiers |
| Jackpots.ch | Grand Casino Baden | ✓ | CHF | Classic & live roulette |
| mycasino.ch | Grand Casino Luzern | ✓ | CHF | Classic & live roulette |
| Casino777.ch | Casino Davos | ✓ | CHF | Classic & live roulette |
As of: June 2026 · ESBK-licensed providers only. Roulette (classic and live-dealer) is part of the standard table-game offering at all the operators listed. Learn more about live casinos →
Roulette rules: how it is played
Roulette consists of two elements: the wheel (the spinning rotor with the numbered pockets) and the layout (the playing table with the printed numbers and betting fields). The aim is to predict which pocket the ball will come to rest in after the spin.
Placing bets
At the start of each round you place your chips on the layout. You can bet on a single number, on combinations of several adjacent numbers, or on larger fields such as red/black, even/odd, dozens or columns. Online you place chips with a click; in live roulette there is a short betting window before the croupier announces "no more bets" (Rien ne va plus).
The ball and the spin
Next the wheel is set in motion and the ball is spun in the opposite direction. Online this is handled by a certified random number generator (RNG); in live roulette a real croupier does it on a physical wheel. The ball loses momentum and eventually drops into one of the numbered pockets.
The winning pocket and the zero
The pocket in which the ball comes to rest is the winning number. All bets covering this number are paid out according to the fixed payout ratio; all other bets are lost. The zero (0) plays a special role: if the ball lands on the zero, all even-money bets (red/black, etc.) are usually lost – except in French roulette, where a special rule returns half of the stake.
After the payout, the layout is cleared and the next round begins. Each round is completely independent of the previous one – earlier results have no influence on the next spin.
European, American & French
The three classic variants differ above all in the number of zeros – and that is exactly what determines your chances of winning.
European roulette – 37 pockets
The European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 0 to 36, so exactly one zero (single zero). This is the standard variant common in Switzerland and by far the fairest.
American roulette – 38 pockets
The American wheel has 38 pockets: in addition to the zero there is a double zero (00). This extra double zero gives the casino one more pocket without changing the payout ratios – which nearly doubles the house edge. You should avoid this variant where possible.
French roulette – with La Partage / En Prison
French roulette uses the same European wheel with only one zero, but adds two player-friendly special rules on the even-money bets: with La Partage you get half your stake back if a zero comes up; with En Prison the stake stays "imprisoned" for the next spin and can be won back in full. Both significantly lower the house edge on even-money bets.
Rule of thumb: always prefer European or French roulette over American. The single zero means a lower house edge and therefore better chances in the long run – without the game itself being any less fun.
Bets & payouts
Roulette bets are divided into inside bets (on single numbers or small groups of numbers directly on the number grid) and outside bets (on large fields at the edge of the layout). Inside bets pay more but hit less often; outside bets pay little but hit more frequently. The following ratios apply to European roulette.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Inside bets | ||
| Plein (Straight Up) | 1 number | 35:1 |
| Cheval / Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 |
| Transversale / Street | 3 numbers | 11:1 |
| Carré / Corner | 4 numbers | 8:1 |
| Sixain / Line | 6 numbers | 5:1 |
| Outside bets | ||
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Even / Odd | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Manque / Passe (1–18 / 19–36) | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Dozen (Douzaine) | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
How to read this: a ratio of X:1 means you receive the stated amount in addition to your retained stake. So with a Plein hit (35:1) you get 35 times your stake as winnings plus your original stake back – 1 CHF becomes 36 CHF.
House edge & RTP
The house edge is the casino's long-term mathematical advantage; the RTP (Return to Player) is its counterpart and indicates the proportion of stakes that theoretically flows back to the players. In roulette the house edge arises solely from the zero(s) – because the payouts are calculated as though there were only 36 numbers.
- European (single zero): house edge 2,7 % – RTP around 97,3 %.
- American (double zero): house edge 5,26 % – RTP around 94,74 %. Significantly worse, avoid where possible.
- French with La Partage: on even-money bets (red/black, even/odd, high/low) only around 1,35 %, because half the stake is returned when a zero comes up.
In concrete terms: on average you lose 2,70 CHF per 100 CHF staked in European roulette, and almost double that in American. Anyone who takes the house edge seriously chooses European or French roulette and avoids the double zero. The RTP is a long-term average – in a single session the result can deviate considerably.
Roulette strategies & systems
Numerous betting systems circulate around roulette – Martingale (double the stake after every loss), Fibonacci, D'Alembert or Paroli (increase the stake after wins). They all have one thing in common: no betting system changes the house edge.
The reason is simple: every spin is completely independent of the previous one. Online, a certified random number generator ensures this; in live play, the physical wheel. The ball has no memory – after red comes up five times, the probability of black is unchanged. Systems therefore only change the variance and the risk profile of your session, not the underlying probability of winning.
The Martingale strategy in particular is often overrated: in practice it fails because of table limits and a limited bankroll. A short losing streak causes the stake to grow exponentially until the table limit is reached or the balance is used up – and then the accumulated loss is considerable.
Be honest with yourself: roulette is and remains pure chance. Systems can structure the flow of play, but they are not a way to beat the casino in the long run.
Live roulette
Live roulette combines online play with the atmosphere of a real casino. Instead of a random number generator, a real croupier spins a physical wheel, which is transmitted to your screen in real time via HD video stream. You place your bets digitally, but watch the real spin and the actual moment the ball comes to rest.
The experience is noticeably more social: via a chat you can interact with the croupier and other players, and the whole process runs at the pace of a real table. Many Swiss providers even rely on their own live studios with German-speaking croupiers.
At ESBK-licensed casinos, live roulette is played in CHF and is subject to Swiss player protection. More on the live-casino offering →
Roulette at legal Swiss casinos
Online roulette for real money is legal in Switzerland – but only at ESBK-licensed providers. Since 1 January 2019, the Money Gaming Act (BGS) has allowed exclusively Swiss casinos holding a licence from the Swiss Federal Gaming Board (ESBK) to offer online games. At these providers you play in CHF and can deposit conveniently via TWINT, credit card or bank transfer.
Foreign providers with licences from Malta (MGA) or Curaçao, on the other hand, are not licensed in Switzerland. Their sites are network-blocked by order of the authorities; using them is a legal grey area and is done at your own risk. No Swiss player protection applies there, and any winnings are fully taxable.
When in doubt, always check a provider's footer for a reference to the ESBK licence. You can find the official list of licensed Swiss online casinos at the supervisory authority under esbk.admin.ch.
Taxes on winnings
An important advantage of licensed Swiss casinos: winnings from online games at ESBK-licensed providers are tax-free up to an amount of approximately CHF 1'071'000 per provider and year (as of 2026). For the vast majority of roulette players, winnings therefore fall clearly within the tax-free range.
It is different with unlicensed foreign providers: their winnings are always fully taxable in Switzerland, regardless of the amount. The stated threshold is a guideline value – what is decisive are the legal provisions in force at the time; when in doubt, it is worth checking with the relevant tax authority.
Responsible gambling
Roulette is entertainment, not a way to earn money. No system and no strategy beats the house edge – in the long run the bank wins. Only stake money whose loss you can absorb, and set fixed deposit, stake and time limits in advance. ESBK-licensed casinos offer such limits as well as the option of a gaming exclusion directly in your account. Online gambling is permitted only for persons aged 18 and over.
If gambling becomes a burden, get help – free of charge, anonymously and without detours:
- SOS Gambling Addiction: 0800 040 080 (24h, anonymous, free)
- Sucht Schweiz: suchtschweiz.ch
- SafeZone.ch – online counselling on addiction issues
- ESBK – federal gaming exclusion and supervision: esbk.admin.ch
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions on this topic.