The Olma Pig Race: Sport or Entertainment?

The OLMA pig races are controversial and are frequently criticized by animal welfare advocates as animal cruelty.

The criticism is based primarily on the burden placed on the animals by the stress of the fair, the loud environment, and their manipulation for entertainment purposes.

The races are viewed as a display of disrespect towards the animals, who are used purely as entertainment for the audience.

Is it a matter of luck which pig wins the pig race at the Olma? Or do the animals perform gruelling athletic feats, with the fittest pig taking the prize? This question had to be resolved by the Federal Supreme Court in a matter of licensing bureaucracy.

It has now been officially confirmed by Switzerland’s highest judges: the traditional Olma pig race is not a sporting event. Accordingly, the city of St. Gallen may not licence it under the category of sports betting. This is the position taken by the intercantonal gambling supervisory authority, which pursued the matter all the way to the Federal Supreme Court.

The pigs in the Olma race want to reach the feeding trough at the finish line as quickly as possible. The audience hopes its favorite will win. And the intercantonal gambling supervisory authority (Gespa) wants the event — which provides considerable amusement — to be licenced under the correct category within the meaning of the Gambling Act.

To that end, it brought the matter before the Federal Supreme Court, as a ruling published on Monday demonstrates. The Administrative Court of the Canton of St. Gallen had declined to consider a complaint by Gespa against the licence issued by the St. Gallen city police. It must now do so after all.

Bet or Lottery?

Contrary to the view of the St. Gallen Administrative Court, Gespa is entitled to examine whether placing a tip on the pig Allegra, Ribeli, Grunzula, or whatever their names may be, constitutes a bet or possibly a lottery.

In 2019, Gespa had informed the Canton of St. Gallen that only bets on sporting events were permissible and that it did not consider the Olma pig race to be such an event. Because a permit for local sports betting was nevertheless granted, Gespa filed an objection, as it communicated at the time in a press release.

The Federal Court states in its considerations that cantonal authorities are authorized to permit so-called minor games such as lotteries, local sports betting and small poker tournaments. The approvals must in each case be forwarded to Gespa.

In order to prevent malpractice in cantonal practice, Gespa reviews the permits for their conformity with federal law. The aim is also to verify whether minor games may not have had to be classified as major games.

These include lotteries, sports betting and games of skill that are conducted in an automated, intercantonal or online manner. The authorization of such falls within the jurisdiction of Gespa. (Ruling 2C_46/2023 of 25.2.2025)

You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose compassion on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan.