According to its latest report, the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) focuses on gathering up to date information and strategies from legalized gambling markets from all parts of the world. This puts the Spillemyndigheden in a position to stay up to date with the international gambling market, using the latest developments to implement online gambling laws in Denmark.

Denmark had always focused heavily on minimizing the negative effects of online gambling. In June 2018, Danish lawmakers agreed that new initiatives against problem gambling are the need of the hours. Several regulatory changes were proposed for end-of-year debates. These include cooling-off periods before finally opting out to be able to play at any No-Rofus casino again, the country’s self-exclusion program, opening a problem gambling helpline at the Danish Gambling Authority, and so on.

In recent years, the Danish Gaming Authority did a lot of work to effectively regulate its online gambling market. Owing to intense competition among licensed operators, the authority had to monitor several advertisements for gambling services and products. It continuously searched for unlicensed online casinos and issued notices to them. It issued notices against operators offering bonuses with unclear terms & conditions and pulled down advertisements that clearly targeted minors.

Denmark does not hesitate to crack down on operators who fail to comply with regulations. Despite these crack downs, the authority observed that most licensed operators are willing to comply with regulations.

About the Danish Gambling Authority

The Danish Gambling Authority – https://www.spillemyndigheden.dk –  makes sure that the Danish casino & sports betting industry is not only licensed and well-regulated, but also responsible and fair. It takes all the required measures to protect Danish players from illegal and unfair gambling activities.

The following are some of the tasks of the Danish Gambling Authority:

• Issue licenses to operators who wish to provide gambling services
• Supervise the activities of gambling operators
• Monitor the Danish gambling market
• Analyse gambling markets throughout the world
• Follow various developments and trends in gambling
• Launch gambler protection and responsible gambling initiatives

Responsible Gambling – A Major Focus

The Danish Gambling Authority focuses heavily on responsible gambling. To ensure that gambling activities are fair and responsible, the authority closely supervises the activities of its licensees. The authority has implemented two major programs to curb problem gambling and support problem gamblers.

• StopSpillet– This is the authority’s helpline for compulsive gamblers. Through StopSpillet, which literally means “Stop Gambling,” the authority provides free advice to problem gamblers, their family members, and professionals. Problem gamblers can use this program to communicate confidently and receive advice on their gambling patterns. They can also obtain information about Rofus and various treatment options.
• Rofus– This is Denmark’s national self-exclusion program, which includes a register of players who have self-excluded from online and land-based gambling services licensed in Denmark.

Gamblers can use this program to self-exclude temporarily or permanently. Self-exclusion may last 24 hours, one month, three months, or six months. At the end of the self-exclusion period, gamblers are automatically removed from the register and granted access to gambling games.

Gamblers also have the option of self-excluding permanently. In this case, they will be excluded for a period of one year, after which they have to manually remove themselves from the register to start gambling again. If they do not remove themselves, the self-imposed ban on gambling is permanent.

As many as 17,355 players registered for ROFUS in 2018, which is 35% more than the number of players who registered the previous year. Over half of them have self-excluded permanently.

Marketing Restrictions

One of the tasks of the Danish Gambling Authority is to monitor the marketing activities of license holders. Denmark has imposed restrictions on bonuses and promotions. Accordingly, operators cannot offer bonuses with wagering requirements of more than 10x. Wagering requirement is a multiplier value indicating the number of times a bonus has to be played through before the bonus winnings can be withdrawn.

Every year, the authority reviews online casinos to make sure that they comply with marketing. According to these laws, license holders should make their bonus terms clear, concise, and absolutely transparent.

Handling Complaints

If players have problems with a particular gambling operator, they are free to complain to the regulatory body. The authority will conduct the required enquiry, but may not inform complainants about the procedure. Also, the authority does not settle disputes between gambling operators and their customers.

Licensed gambling operators are required by law to listen to consumer complaints and resolve them successfully within 14 days. If the operator fails to resolve the issue, it has to clearly inform the player when the issue will be resolved.

The public is also free to complain to the authority about illegal advertising and marketing of gambling services and products. The authority invites players as well as licensed operators to provide information about gambling sites that accept Danish players without receiving a Danish gambling license.