Denmark continues to make strides in curbing problem gambling

Denmark now ranks fourth in Europe in terms of online gambling share, a tangibly positive result in the wake of the Nordic nation’s liberalisation of the industry in 2012.

This result is no doubt a surprise, particularly when considering the peculiar nature of the Danish market.

The 2012 liberalisation

Previously, Denmark operated a nationwide state monopoly before transitioning to a more liberal privatised system in 2012.

Subsequent to this shift in regulation, private companies were granted licences to offer betting services and online casinos which began a globally recognisable surge.

Despite Danes spending less on gaming than any of their Scandinavian counterparts in Sweden, Finland and Iceland, Denmark now ranks fourth based on European market share according to Spillemyndigheden (the Danish Gambling Authority) reports published in June 2023.

Games of choice

Although the Danish gambling market share is extremely high, the games chosen within the Nordic country are far from impressively diverse.

The most popular gambling games among Danes are casino games, such as slot machines and table games. These generate around ⅔ of the revenue for gaming suppliers.

Slot machines even generated a staggering 75.99 per cent of total online casino revenue with a 29 per cent market share.

Digitisation across Scandinavia

Most nations across the Scandinavian region enjoy a high percentage of online gamblers with every nation in the area in the top 10 of European market share.

This can be attributed to the fact Danish society has undergone a high level of digitalisation since 2012. This coupled with the rapidly scaling iGaming industry within the same period created a perfect storm for operators to sell their products online.

Problem gambling among Danish youth

The Danish Gambling Authority launched the StopSpillet hotline in 2019, and since then almost 2,500 enquiries have been received by the attending counsellors.

What is certainly clear from this data is that a vast majority of individuals with problem gambling issues start gambling before the age of 25.

Furthermore, according to StopSpillet, approximately half of the gamblers recorded are experiencing these activities for the first time before the age of 18. This is particularly alarming due to the fact that the age limit for most activities in Denmark is no lower than 18.

Efforts to curb addiction

Danish players have a higher voluntary rate of refusal to gamble with the Spillemyndigheden created the Register Over Frivilligt Udelukkede Spillere (ROFUS) to accompany the shakeup that occurred in 2012.

This meant that Danish players were among the world’s first with the ability to block themselves from any online gambling products.

Since 2016, ROFUS has been the subject of a public awareness campaign which included screenings on TV, cinemas and even social media.

Positively, the number of gamblers registered with ROFUS has since 2012, increased from 1,200 to 40, 000 in February of this year.

Continued efforts and successes in the same vein as ROFUS will inevitably be required in the future as the Danish gambling industry is showing no signs of slowing, similarity to internet accessibility and therefore online gambling activities.

SiGMA Balkans/CIS

As a globally recognised nexus for networking, SiGMA Group sets its sights next to the Balkans this September, when the SIGMA Balkans/CIS Summit heads to Limassol Cyprus.

A host of networking opportunities and industry-leading knowledge will be emanating from the much-anticipated event which will pack panel discussions, keynote speeches, start-up pitches and much more into 3 days in the diverse Cypriot city.