UK-listed gambling operator GVC Holdings has pulled its Bwin and PartyPoker brands from Switzerland after apparently failing to reach a deal with a local casino partner.

On January 1, Switzerland’s new online gambling laws took effect, following last summer’s public referendum that saw nearly three-quarters of voters approve the new regime. The law allows Swiss land-based casino operators to offer online casino and poker products for the first time.

The law also requires Swiss internet service providers to block the domains of any international operator who fails to strike a partnership with a local land-based operator. Some companies have already announced such deals, including UK-listed Playtech, which signed with the Swiss Casinos Group last November, while others such as Belgium’s Ardent Group chose to buy their way into the Swiss online market.

Last September, GVC said it was having “discussions” with an unspecified Swiss land-based operator regarding an online tie-up, but assured investors that there would be no great calamity if these talks failed to produce a satisfactory result, as Switzerland represented less than 1% of group revenue.