In Denmark, the gambling regulatory authority Spillemyndigheden is intensifying efforts to promote responsible gambling as the country's gambling industry continues to grow.
Economic Growth
The Danish gambling economy is growing, with data showing that gambling expenditure in July 2024 increased by 2.5% compared to the same period last year. In July alone, Danes spent a total of 554 million Danish kroner (74 million euros) on betting, online casinos, gaming machines, and physical casinos. However, despite increases in online casinos and betting, spending at physical gambling venues has declined.
Record Number of Illegal Gambling Websites Blocked
The Danish gambling regulatory authority recently announced that in August 2024, it successfully blocked 79 illegal gambling websites. A total of 162 sites have been blocked this year, marking the highest number of sites blocked in a single year since the authority began this effort in 2012. To date, Denmark has blocked a total of 438 sites.
According to the regulatory authority, many illegal sites target young people, offering products like skin betting and using virtual currencies from popular games such as Roblox. For the head of the regulatory authority, Anders Dorph, the phenomenon of gambling entering children's gaming experiences is particularly concerning. Anders Dorph stated, "Our children should not be exposed to gambling while playing video games."
The regulatory authority blocks access to these illegal platforms through DNS blocking. The authority explained, "This means that the connection between the player and the gambling provider's website is blocked by the player's telecommunications service provider. If users try to access a blocked site, they will see a page stating that the site is illegal and has been blocked."
StopSpillet Particularly Successful Among Young People
According to data from the StopSpillet hotline, 41% of hotline consultations come from individuals under the age of 26. The enthusiasm among young people for online betting and casino games is evident, with 40% of young players participating in online betting and 37% in online casino games.
The increasing number of young people seeking help highlights the importance of promoting awareness of responsible gambling. In 2023, the Danish gambling regulatory authority launched a major publicity campaign to promote StopSpillet and ROFUS (the self-exclusion registry for players), using television, social media, and public advertisements.
