Denmark took its first step in protecting local players from unlicensed online gambling sites by enforcing the Danish Gaming Act on January 1, 2012. The law partially modernized and liberalized Denmark’s online gambling market, making it easier for operators to obtain a license to offer online gambling services in Denmark.
Other aims of the law were to maintain a moderate level of gambling participation among residents, protect vulnerable groups such as minors and players at risk for gambling addiction, ensure fairness and transparency in online gambling businesses, and keep the gambling industry free from criminal activities.
Here is a list of changes the new laws created in the Danish gambling industry:
- Set a clear distinction between liberalized games and monopolized games.
- Unified and simplified the supervision and regulation of the gambling industry under a single authority—the Danish Ministry of Taxation.
- Created the Danish Gambling Authority, which is answerable to the Danish Ministry of Taxation.
- Gave the Danish Gambling Authority the power to license and monitor the gambling industry.
- Created protective measures against illegal gambling such as website blocking, payment blocking, and advertisement banning.
Strict Advertising Laws
Denmark has framed a set of strict advertising laws to protect consumers from gambling harm. Laws that apply to gambling-related advertisements fall into two separate categories: general marketing and advertising laws and advertising laws that apply only to gambling.
Noting that aggressiveness in marketing gambling services and products may lead to a rise in problem gambling, Denmark decided to limit gambling-related ads in many ways. Licensed operators have to bear the following points in mind while marketing and advertising their products and services:
- Avoid creating an impression among viewers that their chances of winning are greater than they actually are.
- Focus on gambling as entertainment alone, not as a way to generate income.
- Avoid targeting young people below the age of 18 and children.
- Avoid using celebrities in their marketing campaigns and thereby create an impression that gambling is the secret of their success.
- Avoid creating an impression that gambling provides solutions to real-life problems.
Easy, Uncomplicated Licensing Procedures
Denmark fights against unlicensed casinos by creating a safe, secure, licensed, and well-regulated online gambling environment at home. The country’s easy and uncomplicated licensing procedures attract highly reputed international gambling companies. Danish players can, therefore, sign up at the best online casinos licensed at home.
Playing at online casinos licensed by the Danish Gambling Authority is safe for Danish players. They can rest assured that the games are fair and the software is authentic and expect quick payouts and prompt customer support.
If they feel that they have become problem gamblers, they can register their names in ROFUS, the Danish Gambling Authority’s register of self-excluded players. Once a player registers his/her name in ROFUS, he/she can no longer access online gambling sites licensed in Denmark. This protects the player from any further harm caused by gambling.
Playing casino games such as roulette, baccarat, Punto Banco, online bingo, and poker is legal in Denmark provided you do it at an online gambling site licensed by the Danish Gambling Authority.
The procedure to obtain a license to operate internet casinos in Denmark is easy. You can easily download the application forms from the official website of the Danish Gambling Authority. The authority also provides detailed information to guide you through the application procedure.
Each gaming license costs DKK 285,800 and remains valid for up to five years. If you want to offer online sports betting services along with casino games, you can submit a joint application, which costs DKK 400,100.
How Denmark Deals with Unlicensed Casinos
One of the many tasks of the Danish Gambling Authority is to monitor unlicensed and illegal gambling activities within the country. The authority uses search robots to find unlicensed online gambling sites targeting Danish players and sites that market and promote such unlicensed online gambling sites. Sometimes, Danish players and licensed operators bring unlicensed casinos uden om Rofus & NemID to the attention of Spillemyndigheden.
The DGA first issues a warning to unlicensed sites, informing them that they are violating Denmark’s gambling laws and requesting them to stop offering their services in Denmark. If this does not work, the DGA either goes to court to get a court order to make ISPs block the site or files a police complaint against the site.
The DGA also takes the following measures to fight unlicensed gambling sites:
- It requests banks, financial institutions, and payment processing companies to block gambling-related transactions to and from online casinos not licensed in Denmark.
- It requests the media not to advertise the gambling products and services of unlicensed sites.
- It encourages local players to complain about any illegal online gambling activities that come to their notice.
The Spillemyndigheden also warns local players against playing at unlicensed online casinos, online sportsbooks, and online poker rooms. The following are some of the harms of playing at unlicensed online gambling sites:
- When you play at an online casino that is not licensed by the Danish Gambling Authority, you are no longer protected by Danish gambling laws. In this case, you cannot expect your country’s legal system or law-enforcement agencies to help you if an unlicensed online casino cheats you.
- You cannot be sure of game fairness and software authenticity at unlicensed online casinos.
- Unlicensed online casinos have poor customer support.
- They do not protect players from gambling harm. You won’t find any responsible gambling policy at these sites.
- If you run into a problem gambling issue, you may not find an option to self-exclude at an unlicensed online casino. On the other hand, you can enjoy the protection of ROFUS, Denmark’s self-exclusion register, if you play at an online casino licensed in Denmark.
The Spillemyndigheden, therefore, encourages residents to stick to online casinos licensed in Denmark and enjoy excellent consumer protection, great customer support, help for problem gambling, prompt payouts, and fair online casino games.
