On Monday, the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) launched a public awareness campaign aimed at educating parents about gambling-like features found in children's video games. Titled "Casino in the Children’s Room," the initiative seeks to expand discussions regarding young people's digital habits beyond just screen time, highlighting the nature of in-game content and mechanics.
Many popular games aimed at children incorporate elements similar to traditional gambling, including loot boxes, random reward mechanics, and in-game purchases. Anders Dorph, the director of the Danish Gambling Authority, stressed the importance of understanding the psychological effects of these reward systems. "The debate about children and digital media is often about screen time. But it is also important to take an interest in the content of the games and the mechanisms that children encounter when they game," Dorph stated.
The campaign features a short film that vividly transforms a child's bedroom into a casino, demonstrating how gambling motifs and reward systems are woven into games designed for young audiences. In conjunction with the film, the Authority is promoting the knowledge platform StyrPåSpillet.dk, which offers extensive information on gaming, gambling features in games, risks of gambling addiction, and guidance on having constructive conversations with children about their gaming activities.
To enhance public engagement, the authority has also set up three temporary shopfront displays modeled after casinos in prominent urban areas: Bruuns Galleri in Aarhus, Vestergade in Odense, and Købmagergade in Copenhagen. Named "Casino Kids," these displays are meant to encourage parents and bystanders to consider whether the games their children play contain gambling-like features.
Denmark is not alone in addressing the risks associated with gambling-like features in games for minors. A report released last year by the Swedish gambling regulatory authority, Spelinspektionen, identified a correlation between underage gambling through video games and subsequent risky gambling behaviors as young adults. The findings indicated that 87% of individuals who purchased loot boxes before the age of 15 exhibited problematic gambling behaviors in adulthood.
This campaign coincides with the Danish government's announcement of a re-submission of a bill, originally proposed in October 2025, focusing on gambling advertisements aimed at minors. Key provisions in this legislation include a ban on featuring anyone under 25 in gambling ads and a comprehensive prohibition on such advertisements during live sports broadcasts. The gaming industry has criticized this package of reforms, with Morten Rønde, managing partner at Nordic Legal, expressing his astonishment, stating he was "shell shocked."
