Denmark: Gambling spend is up thanks to land-based casinos

Danish Gambling Authority’s quarterly stats confirms a total GGR of DKK 1,688m in Q2 of 2022 - a massive 7,4% increase from 2021!

Thanks to the influx of revenue from land-based casinos in Denmark, the total gross gaming revenue (GGR) for betting increased by a staggering 7,4% in the second quarter of 2022.

According to the Danish Gambling Authority’s quarterly stats, the total spend of DKK 1,688m for this period contributed to a year-on-year increase of DKK 116m.

This boost was due to land-based casinos, gambling arcades, and bars being open for the entire second quarter of 2022, while Covid-19 restrictions forced them to be closed during the same period in 2021. This behaviour could be a looking glass into the future of EU online casinos as more countries may return to traditional brick-and-mortar gambling venues.

Online gambling spending drops

Interestingly, betting and online casinos in Denmark dropped in spending during the second quarter of 2022 by DKK 93m (betting) and DKK 7m (online) compared to the same period in 2021.

These stats showed a GGR drop of 14,1% for betting and online casinos compared to the first six months of 2021, which implies the spending shifted to land-based gambling.

Perhaps the shift is temporary, and gamblers may soon prefer to gamble online, on the go, or in the comfort of their homes once again.

Danish regulator blocks unlicensed sites

Since Denmark established the Gambling Act in 2012, Spillemyndgiheden blocked over 220 gambling sites. Recently, a Danish court in Frederiksberg allowed 82 unlicensed websites (that offer illegal forms of gambling to consumers) to be blocked in a single ruling.

This recent ruling was a massive action since the regulator only blocked 55 sites in 2021. This filing was the eighth regulatory action Spillemyndigheden argued in court since the establishment of the Gambling Act in Denmark and the establishment of the Danish Gambling Authority.

Anders Dorph, the director of Spillemyndigheden, stated that they established the body to ensure the framework for a fair gambling market in Denmark. He further noted that one of their most essential tasks in that context is to protect players against illegal gambling and to ensure that consumers do not get exposed to unlicensed gambling providers.

See also: Gambling regulations in Denmark

Self-exclusion on the rise

A lot has changed since regulators started blocking sites and partially liberalising the sector - self-exclusion statistics have also exposed a considerable change in gambling habits.

The Danish Gambling Authority’s register of self-excluded players (ROFUS) allows Danes to self-exclude themselves from online and land-based gambling for either 24 hours, one, three, or six months, either temporarily or permanently.

They established this register in 2012 and, as of 1 June 2022, have over 33,000 registered Danish non-players, of which 76% are men.

Licensed sites benefits in Denmark

Continuous broadcast of unlicensed sites is not fair to licensed operators who follow the rules, Dorph said, and he emphasises it is essential to ensure that licensed operators can run their businesses under orderly conditions.

"Our work to block illegal websites is very important," Dorph stated.

Spillemyndigheden is also involved with the Ministry of Justice-led effort to shake up the anti-money laundering strategy in Denmark; therefore, they must continue with their actions.

By Stelly

Verified Casino Expert

Expertise: Journalism & PR, SEO Writing, Content Writing, International Gambling Markets

Hey, I'm Stelly! I oversee the whole content at CasinoWow, from breaking gambling news to in-depth guides and game coverage. My job is to make sure everything we publish is accurate, useful, and genuinely worth reading for every type of player.

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Last updated: October 3, 2022

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Denmark: Gambling spend is up thanks to land-based casinos

Online gambling spending drops

Danish regulator blocks unlicensed sites

Self-exclusion on the rise

Licensed sites benefits in Denmark

By Stelly

Anything incorrect or missing?

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Denmark: Gambling spend is up thanks to land-based casinos

Online gambling spending drops

Danish regulator blocks unlicensed sites

Self-exclusion on the rise

Licensed sites benefits in Denmark

By Stelly

Anything incorrect or missing?

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