Danish Gambling Authority blocks 83 illegal gambling websites in crackdown

The Danish Gambling Authority achieved a legal victory in Næstved court, resulting in the blocking of 83 illegal gambling websites. This marks the 10th time the Authority has gone to court for this reason, escalating its efforts to combat illegal online gambling.

Since 2012, the Authority has targeted unauthorized websites catering to Danish players, resulting in a total of 359 blocked sites. The websites offer games such as betting and online casinos to Danes without permission. This year's record-breaking blockade of 83 sites underscores the Authority's commitment to curbing illegal gambling, with plans for biannual interventions in 2024.

The Danish Gambling Authority's director Anders Dorph expects that 2024 will offer even more blockages. "We have intensified our work to shut down the illegal sites, so that we now get them blocked twice a year instead of once as previously," said Dorph. "In this way, we can get hold of even more sites and minimize the period when Danish players are exposed to games that are offered illegally in Denmark.

"Children and young people in particular are a vulnerable group. For instance, many of the illegal websites have very lenient requirements for age verification. Some of the sites also offer games that particularly appeal to children and young people, such as skin betting."

Sites without permission do not comply with the requirements set out in gambling legislation for, among other things, consumer protection. 

The Authority employs various methods, including automated monitoring and citizen reports, to detect illegal websites. Upon discovery, website owners are urged to cease operations, with non-compliance leading to court-ordered blockades. The Danish Internet providers implement the blocking of the illegal gambling websites.

The blocked websites mainly offer traditional casino games such as roulette, slot machines and poker as well as betting. Eight of the websites are so-called skinbetting websites. Skinbetting covers betting, casino games and lotteries where the deposit or winnings are a skin, which is a virtual object in computer games. 

Illegal gambling in Denmark encompasses activities conducted without proper licensing from the Danish Gambling Authority, including targeting Danish players through Danish language, Danish currency, and tailored game selection.

Licensed operators must prominently display the Authority's label for transparency. In this way, the player can easily check that the operator is authorized to offer games in Denmark, the Authority said in a statement.