Denmark’s Minister of Taxation has introduced a new legislative proposal as part of the first tranche of the government’s gambling reform package aimed at limiting gambling advertising and strengthening measures against gambling addiction. The bill, presented on 25 February 2026, would implement an expanded whistle‑to‑whistle advertising ban for sports betting ads and embed more robust consumer protections into Danish gambling law.
While targeted primarily at promotional practices and player welfare, the proposed framework also signals that Danish authorities are monitoring broader shifts in the gambling landscape—including emerging platforms, such as prediction markets, that operate outside the current legal ambit and may be subject to future restrictions.
Key Proposed Measures and Industry Impact
In response to ongoing concerns around gambling advertising and consumer protection, Denmark’s government has introduced a new legislative proposal aimed at tightening regulations for both the gambling industry and emerging markets like prediction platforms. This legislative shift is designed to enhance the regulatory environment, curb gambling-related harm, and create clearer boundaries between sports media and betting promotions.
The proposed reforms, which focus heavily on reducing youth exposure and tightening advertising restrictions, align with broader efforts to ensure that Danish online casinos and betting operators adhere to high standards of responsible play and harm minimisation. The government has framed these changes as essential to both protecting vulnerable groups and addressing the rise of unregulated gambling activities. Below are the key proposed measures that would shape the future of gambling in Denmark:
- Whistle‑to‑whistle advertising ban: The law would prohibit all gambling advertising during sporting events from ten minutes before kick‑off to ten minutes after the final whistle, reducing the exposure of fans to betting promotions.
- Broader advertising restrictions: Additional limits include prohibitions on free bets as welcome offers, controls on public figure endorsements, and stricter rules on youth‑targeted marketing content.
- Consumer protection enhancements: The legislation strengthens regulatory oversight by giving authorities clearer enforcement powers and expanding self‑exclusion and addiction support tools.
- Risk‑warning requirements: Gambling adverts would have to display mandatory risk warnings to inform consumers of potential harms.
- Future prediction market review: Policymakers are examining whether platforms that allow event‑based wagers — sometimes labelled prediction markets — should be subject to additional restrictions or classification within the Danish gambling regime.
Restricting Gambling Ads: The Whistle‑to‑Whistle Ban
Under the new proposal, betting-related promotions would be banned around live sports broadcasts to reduce exposure among children and young people — a key concern cited by the Minister of Taxation. The legislative language extends the prohibition across television and digital streams linked to live events.
Skatteminister Ane Halsboe‑Jørgensen explained that gambling advertising is ubiquitous and contributes to problematic play, particularly among younger audiences — noting that tens of thousands of children exhibit some level of gambling issues. The whistle‑to‑whistle ban is designed to create clearer boundaries between sports viewing and betting commercialisation.
Addressing the Emergence of Prediction Markets
The bill also lays groundwork for later phases of reform (Spilpakke 2), which officials say will address new gambling products and business models. One potential area under consideration is the regulatory treatment of prediction markets — online platforms where users bet on outcomes such as geopolitical events or financial indicators rather than traditional sports results.
Regulators in some jurisdictions have already clashed with prediction market operators over whether they fall under gambling or financial rules, and Denmark’s reform discussions echo these global debates. Meanwhile, the Danish Gambling Authority currently lacks explicit power to block prediction market sites solely for being accessible in Denmark unless they demonstrate targeted marketing or services directed at Danish users.
Strengthened Enforcement Powers and License Oversight
In addition to marketing controls, the proposed law would give authorities clearer enforcement powers to act against non‑compliant licence holders. The Danish Gambling Authority and the Ministry of Taxation would share responsibility for monitoring and applying sanctions to operators violating the new advertising and consumer protection rules. This aligns with the Danish Gambling Authority’s new responsible gambling guidance, which sets out specific expectations for operators to enhance player welfare and reduce gambling‑related harm.
Consumer protection upgrades include strengthened self‑exclusion provisions and increased funding for treatment and support services for problem gambling, reflecting Copenhagen’s emphasis on holistic harm mitigation.
Evolving Gambling Framework: What’s Next?
The legislative proposal comes amid broader efforts to enhance player welfare across Denmark’s gambling ecosystem—including a recent regulatory focus on responsible play among licensed operators. This follows the Danish regulator’s publication of reinforced guidance for betting and online casino licence holders on responsible gambling practices earlier this year.
Additionally, Denmark’s regulated gambling market continues evolving, with authorities balancing market growth against guarding vulnerable groups and maintaining high compliance standards.
If the reforms in Gambling Package 1 are enacted as proposed, most measures would take effect from 1 July 2026, with subsequent elements of Spilpakke 2, including prediction market regulation proposals, expected in early 2027.