In 2025, online casinos have surpassed lotteries as the largest segment within Denmark's gambling industry, according to the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) in their latest market review. The report, titled "Spilmarkedet i tal 2025," was unveiled on Monday and marks a notable milestone, being the first such indication since Denmark partially liberalized its gambling market in 2012.
Spillemyndigheden adjusted the gross gambling revenue figures to reflect 2026 price levels and aligned them with Denmark's GDP measures, leading to variations in the 2025 data compared to past reports. Additionally, the updated channelization report has been postponed until 2026 as the authority awaits further verification of data, resulting in the exclusion of estimates regarding unlicensed online market activities from this report.
For 2025, the overall gross gambling revenue in Denmark reached DKK11.5 billion ($1.75 billion), showing a slight decrease of 1% (DKK116 million) compared to 2024. Adjusted for inflation and economic growth, this figure sits 4.9% below the 2012 baseline.
Online casinos generated the highest gross gaming revenue (GGR) in this market at DKK4.31 billion, accounting for 38% of total revenue, an increase of 12.1% (DKK465 million) from the previous year and a significant rise of 139% since 2012. Monopoly lotteries, which include Lotto, Klasselotterier, and scratch tickets, contributed DKK3.49 billion, representing 30% of the gambling market and experiencing a 6.2% decline (DKK230 million) since 2024.
Meanwhile, sports betting revenue fell by 11.5% (DKK277 million) to DKK2.13 billion, making up 19% of the overall market share. Revenue from slot machines totaled DKK1.18 billion, or 10% of total revenue, down 6.8% (DKK86 million) year-on-year. Land-based casinos reported a GGR of DKK378 million, reflecting a decline of 5.6% and comprising 3% of the market. Newly legalized land-based bingo accounted for DKK30 million (less than 1%) in gross gaming revenue.
The trend toward online gambling has become even more pronounced, with online activities now representing 73% of the total GGR in 2025, up from 70% in 2024 and significantly higher than the 33% recorded in 2012. Mobile platforms emerged as the dominant channel for online gambling, generating 73% of online gambling revenue, compared to just 27% in 2012. Notably, 69% of online casino revenue was generated through mobile devices, with online slots leading the segment at 82% of online casino GGR (DKK3.54 billion). Roulette and blackjack accounted for around 6% each of the online casino revenue, with DKK246 million and DKK267 million, respectively.
The iGaming landscape in Denmark has seen growth as Digitain made its entry into the market in May 2025. Arshak Muradyan, group chief compliance officer at Digitain, remarked that Denmark’s high compliance standards and mature gaming ecosystem are crucial for the company’s ongoing European growth strategy.
As of the end of 2025, Spillemyndigheden had issued a total of 1,970 gambling licenses across different categories. Online casinos received 41 licenses (including three temporary permits with a revenue cap of DKK1 million), while 27 betting licenses were issued, of which two were revenue-limited. There were 277 permits granted for physical slot machine operations, allowing for 23,172 machines nationwide, along with 12 land-based bingo licenses introduced after the market's liberalization on January 1, 2025. Four monopoly holders continue to have exclusive rights over major commercial lotteries.
The report also pointed out a significant disparity among operators: while most reported GGR under DKK25 million, several leading companies achieved over DKK100 million in revenue each.
Concerns regarding responsible gambling remained prominent in 2025, with the voluntary exclusion register (ROFUS) expanding to 68,026 individuals, increasing by approximately 12,000 since late 2024. Of those listed, 79% were men, and 69% were below 40 years old. The helpline StopSpillet reported a record 727 inquiries throughout 2025, the highest number recorded since its inception in 2019. Of the inquiries, 57% came from gamblers themselves, and 40% were made by relatives. Notably, 45% of those who called identified as having started gambling before turning 18, with 62% of problem gambling cases linked to online casino activities and 22% to online betting. The average severity score of problem gambling was recorded at 5.61 on a scale of 0 to 9, indicating moderate to severe issues.
Looking back at market dynamics, lottery revenues declined from DKK4.83 billion in 2012 to DKK3.49 billion in 2025, reflecting a 27.7% drop. Sports betting revenue peaked in 2018 and remains 7.6% higher than in 2012, though it has declined from more recent highs. The betting payout rates were approximately 89.7% in 2025. Meanwhile, physical gambling venues continue to diminish, with slot machine revenues decreasing about 60.5% since 2012 and land-based casino earnings dropping roughly 35%, significantly affected by pandemic-related closures from 2020 to 2022.
