The Danish government unveiled a new bill this week as part of its stringent gambling reforms package, outlining plans for a phased implementation scheduled between January and October 2027. Key among these reforms is a whistle-to-whistle ban on betting advertisements during live sports, effective from July 2027.
Last October, the introduction of the reforms, collectively known as Spilpakken 1, sent shockwaves through the gambling industry. The reforms propose tighter marketing regulations, enhanced oversight of the unregulated sector, revised land-based gaming regulations, and changes to taxation policies. Minister for Taxation and Growth, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, presented the bill to parliament on October 7, almost a year after the reforms were first publicized.
The proposed bill outlines essential policies, including a ban on gambling advertisements targeting minors and a restriction against featuring anyone under 25. Furthermore, marketing will be prohibited in public transport and in locations within 200 meters of most educational institutions for youth. The extensive advertising ban during live sports broadcasts will apply from ten minutes before a game starts until ten minutes post-event and will encompass live odds displayed on screens and streaming platforms.
Financial implications of the advertising ban include a projected loss of DKK15 million ($2.25 million) in 2027, increasing to DKK25 million annually thereafter. The regulatory authority is expected to forfeit approximately DKK1-2 million in fees as a consequence.
Additionally, the bill stipulates that license holders, except for small charitable lotteries, must continuously monitor player behavior and act swiftly when signs of gambling addiction emerge. The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) will receive the power to conduct inspections without prior court approval to investigate suspected illegal gambling activities.
Offering unlicensed gambling services could lead to fines or up to a year of imprisonment in aggravated circumstances. The bill also criminalizes the promotion of unlicensed gambling, with penalty calculations based on the company's size and annual gross gaming revenue.
For land-based operators, the existing "bestyrer" approval system will transition to new licenses for various types of gaming, including lotteries and casinos. Updated definitions for gambling establishments require physical separation between gaming areas, presence of staff during operational hours, and restrictions barring minors from entry. Certain fast-paced games will only be available from 7 a.m. to midnight.
Licensing for new game variants will necessitate explicit approval from regulators, following evaluations of responsible gambling implications and market conflicts.
When Spilpakken 1 was publicly announced, Morten Rønde, a managing partner at Nordic Legal, expressed his surprise at the stringent proposals, 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." Although the complete ban on advertisements had been considered, he noted that the current measures still indicate a strong political will for tougher regulations. Rønde highlighted that several Danish political parties support a full ban on advertisements.
Rønde remarked that the new bill replaces a previous version (L-127), which ceased to exist due to the election, maintaining the same core substance.
