The Danish government has announced a comprehensive package of gambling reforms, set to be implemented between January and October 2027. Among the key changes is a marketing restriction that includes a whistle-to-whistle ban on betting advertisements during live sports events, effective July 2027.
This reform package, known as Spilpakken 1, initially stirred considerable debate when it was unveiled last October. It emphasizes stricter marketing regulations, improved oversight of unregulated gambling activities, revised rules for land-based gaming establishments, and updated tax policies.
Minister for Taxation and Growth Jakob Engel-Schmidt introduced the bill to parliament on October 7, nearly a year after the reform package was first disclosed.
Key aspects of the bill outline that gambling advertisements will be prohibited from targeting individuals under 18 years of age or featuring anyone younger than 25. Additionally, advertising will not be allowed on public transportation or within 200 meters of most schools and youth educational facilities. The proposed regulations also impose a ban on gambling ads during live sports broadcasts, starting ten minutes before an event and ending ten minutes after, encompassing any live odds displayed via screens and streaming platforms.
The implementation of the live-sport advertising ban is projected to cost the state DKK 15 million (approximately $2.25 million) in 2027, increasing to DKK 25 million annually thereafter. The regulatory body is expected to lose around DKK 1-2 million in fees due to this restriction.
Furthermore, the legislation will mandate that license holders, except for small charitable land-based lotteries, actively monitor player behavior and intervene when signs of gambling-related issues are identified. The Danish Gambling Authority, known as Spillemyndigheden, will receive enhanced powers to conduct inspections of suspected illegal gambling operations without needing a court order.
Violating these regulations could result in fines or imprisonment of up to one year in severe cases, and marketing unlicensed gambling will also be criminalized. Penalties will scale based on the size of the company and its annual gross gaming revenue.
The reforms will alter the existing “bestyrer” approval system for land-based retailers, replacing it with various licenses referred to as “forhandlere” for different types of gambling activities, such as lotteries, bingo, betting, casino games, and gaming machines.
Updates to definitions include changes to “spillebutik” and “spillehal” (gambling arcades) that will require physical separation between operations, staff presence during operating hours, and restriction of minors from entering these establishments. High-speed games will be limited to operating hours between 7 AM and midnight.
Licensing will be necessary for combination or new game variants, with explicit approval from regulators following assessments of responsible gambling implications, market effects, and compatibility with monopolized lottery products.
When Spilpakken 1 was first made public, Morten Rønde, managing partner at Nordic Legal, expressed his shock, indicating that the proposed reforms lacked evidence linking them to a reduction in gambling addiction. "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 stated. Rønde also acknowledged that while a complete advertising ban had been considered, overall political support for stricter measures remains strong, with several parties advocating for a full advertisement ban.
