The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, has secured a court order permitting the simultaneous blocking of 178 unlicensed gambling websites that were targeting Danish consumers illegally. This is the highest number of unlawful gambling sites the regulator has cracked down on simultaneously since it began operating in 2012.
Highlights of the Story
- On June 26, the court in Frederiksberg issued an order to block 178 unlicensed gambling sites operating illegally in Denmark.
- Several of the blocked sites are mirror versions of others.
- The latest round of bans takes Spillemyndigheden’s total count of blacklisted gambling websites to 616.
Danish Court Upholds the Spillemyndigheden’s Decision
On June 26, the court in Frederiksberg took the historic decision to block 178 illicit gambling platforms simultaneously. The court order upheld the Danish Gambling Authority’s move against illicit websites targeting Danish consumers. While the number is high, many of the websites are mirrored versions of a handful of operators.
This marks the highest number of illegal online casinos blocked simultaneously in Denmark since the establishment of the Spillemyndigheden in 2012. The Danish Gambling Authority has so far blocked 616 unlawful gambling sites.
This move is part of Spillemyndigheden’s broader vision to establish a regulated gambling market in Denmark and help players avoid online casino scams and other gambling pitfalls. Until recently, the Danish gambling market was rife with offshore online casinos operating in the grey area. The Spillemyndigheden hardly pursued one blocking case per year.
However, that changed recently when the gambling watchdog began eyeing a regulated domestic gambling market and took enforcement more seriously. Welcoming the court’s decision, Anders Dorph, the Director of Spillemyndigheden, said:
It’s certainly frustrating to watch illegal gambling sites mushrooming. However, I am pleased to announce that we now have effective tools to identify and block unlicensed gambling platforms from targeting consumers within our borders. Since last year, we have vehemently pursued illicit operators. It has allowed us to protect players and ensure a level playing field for licensed gambling operators.
Spillemyndigheden Pushing for a Sustainable Gambling Market
The Danish Gambling Authority has been making steady headway in reforming existing gambling legislation to stay updated with modern challenges. The Spillemyndigheden laid out specific criteria to determine whether an unlicensed gambling operator was targeting Danish consumers, such as the website content and customer support being available in the Danish language, accepting deposits and processes withdrawals in the Danish Krone, and supporting payment methods only accepted in Denmark.
Apart from larger offshore gambling platforms, the regulator also flags smaller websites accepting bets from Danish punters on lower-level competitions and sporting leagues hosted across the country. The regulator delivers a formal notice to operators found in violation of the statutes. Failing to comply results in a ban, with a copy of the order being forwarded to the courts for approval.
The latest round of bans comes hot on the heels of the Spillemyndigheden recording an 11.6% year-on-year rise in gambling revenue in April. Driven by growth in the domestic online gambling sector, the regulator recorded €89.1 million in annual revenue. Online casino earnings increased by 21.4% since 2024. Slots comprised 78.9% of the total, while blackjack and roulette accounted for 6.6% and 6.4% respectively. The remaining amount came from poker, bingo, and other games.