This week, the Danish government unveiled a bill to enforce its comprehensive gambling reforms, setting a timeline for implementation between January and October 2027. Among the key changes, a significant ban on betting advertisements during live sports events will take effect in July 2027.
The reforms, collectively known as Spilpakken 1, were first introduced last October and have created considerable disruption within the gambling sector. They emphasize stricter marketing regulations, improved oversight of unregulated gambling activities, updated land-based gaming rules, and modified taxation frameworks.
On October 7, Minister for Taxation and Growth Jakob Engel-Schmidt presented the new bill to parliament, marking nearly a year since the reforms were initially made public.
Key elements of the bill include strict restrictions around gambling advertisements. Advertisements cannot target individuals under 18, nor can they feature anyone younger than 25. The bill also prohibits marketing near public transport facilities and within 200 meters of most schools and educational institutions. Additionally, there is a comprehensive ban on gambling ads during live sports broadcasts, which will be enforced from ten minutes prior to a match until ten minutes after it ends, blocking live odds from being shown on screens and streaming services.
The financial implications of the live-sport advertising prohibition are noteworthy. It may cost the state DKK 15 million ($2.25 million) in 2027, with an expected annual loss of DKK 25 million in subsequent years. The gambling regulator anticipates a revenue drop of DKK 1-2 million due to this ban.
Other regulations mandated by the bill require licensed operators, aside from small charitable land-based lotteries, to continuously monitor player activity and intervene proactively if gambling issues emerge. The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) will also be granted stronger powers, allowing it to conduct inspections without judicial oversight to investigate suspected illegal gambling operations.
Those found to be facilitating illegal gambling could face substantial penalties, including fines or prison sentences up to one year in severe cases. Moreover, the bill will make it illegal to market unlicensed gambling services, with fines determined by the size of the company and their annual gross gaming revenue.
In terms of licensing and definitions, the approval system for retail operators, known as “bestyrer,” will transition to a new licensing framework (“forhandlere”) for various gaming types, including lotteries and betting. The updated definitions will enforce requirements for physical separation in gambling arcades, staff presence during open hours, and will prohibit minors from entering these establishments. Fast-paced games will be permitted only between 7 a.m. and midnight.
The licensing process for new or combined game formats will also require explicit approval from the gambling regulator, a measure introduced after considering responsible gambling impacts and potential market conflicts.
Upon unveiling the initial Spilpakken 1, Morten Rønde, managing partner at Nordic Legal, expressed his shock at the proposed reforms. He stated, “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 commented that discussions of a complete advertisement ban indicated a strong political desire for even stricter measures.
Rønde further noted that the new bill replaces a prior version (L-127) that lapsed due to the election, emphasizing that the content remains largely unchanged.
