The Danish government has introduced a comprehensive bill aimed at implementing strict gambling reforms over a phased timeline, set to roll out from January to October 2027. Among the most significant changes is a ban on betting advertising during live sports, which will take effect in July 2027.
Last October, the gambling sector was shaken by a series of regulations, contained within the package known as Spilpakken 1. This initiative emphasizes tighter marketing regulations, enhanced oversight of unregulated markets, new land-based gaming rules, and revised tax policies.
Minister for Taxation and Growth, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, presented the bill to parliament on October 7, a year after the reforms were first announced.
Key provisions of the bill include prohibiting gambling advertisements aimed at individuals under 18 and restricting those featuring anyone under 25. Additionally, marketing will be banned in public transportation and within 200 meters of schools and educational institutions. The proposed legislation will also impose a complete ban on gambling ads during live sports events—from ten minutes prior to the start until ten minutes after completion, effectively eliminating live odds displays during games.
The live sports advertisement prohibition may cost the Danish state an estimated DKK15 million ($2.25 million) in 2027, with ongoing losses of around DKK25 million per year subsequently. The gambling regulator is expected to lose approximately DKK1-2 million in fees because of this restriction.
Moreover, the bill mandates that all license holders, except for small charitable lotteries, must monitor player behavior continuously and intervene promptly upon identifying signs of gambling issues. The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) will gain expanded powers to conduct inspections without prior court approval in cases of suspected illegal gambling activity.
The bill classifies unauthorized gambling provision as a criminal offense, punishable by fines or imprisonment of up to one year in aggravated situations, and criminalizes the marketing of unlicensed gambling. Penalties will be scaled according to company size, taking into account their annual gross gaming revenue.
Land-based operators will see changes in the licensing system, replacing the “bestyrer” approvals with new licenses known as “forhandlere” applicable to lotteries, bingo, betting, casino games, and gaming machines.
Definitions for gaming venues like “spillebutik” and “spillehal” (gambling arcades) will now require physical separations between areas, staff presence during operating hours, and will prohibit minors from entering. The bill also limits certain rapid-play games to operational hours from 7 AM to midnight.
Licensing for any combination or novel gaming variants will necessitate explicit approval from the regulator, which will assess the responsible gambling implications and potential market impact.
When Spilpakke 1 was rolled out, Nordic Legal's managing partner, Morten Rønde, expressed his surprise at the proposed reforms, stating, "In all the proposals that are made, there’s no link to any evidence that this is something that will help gambling addiction. And I am pretty sure that it won’t." He indicated that while discussions had once contemplated a complete advertising ban, the current situation is still less than ideal, underscoring a strong political push for more stringent measures.
Several political parties in Denmark continue to advocate for a total ban on gambling advertisements. Rønde noted that the current bill simply revises a previous one (L-127) that had lapsed due to elections, maintaining its core content.
