Spillemyndigheden Issues DKK 100,000 Fines for Illegal Distribution of Games

Article by : Milena Petrovska Nov 29, 2023

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The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) has informed the public about issuing two fines whose total amount is DKK 100,000 (about €13,400, about $14,720).

In a somewhat mysterious website statement, the authority claims a person was illegally distributing games to Danish consumers. Such operations and activities were led without the necessary permits from Danish regulators.

The short statement was published on the 28th of November and reveals neither the identity of the “person” nor the two websites in question.

Per the details by the Danish Gambling Authority, the individual owned two websites that were referring readers to websites to play. Those websites would allow visitors to join and gamble even if they had used ROFUS to self-exclude.

ROFUS is the Danish Gambling Authority’s self-exclusion register, which works similarly to GamStop in the UK.

Targeting Danes and Referring to Illegal Sites Strictly Forbidden

Spillemyndigheden is sending a clear message with these latest fines to anyone targeting players from the country. The authority will not tolerate advertising websites without a valid Danish license.

The person who received the fine was discovered to be doing exactly that. As soon as the Danish authority noticed, it reported the individual and their operations to the police. Per the website’s statement, the report happened earlier this year.

Once the police received the report, an investigation took place. It was determined that the owner of the two websites violated the Danish laws. As a result of their action, the individual received two fines of DKK 50,000 each, totaling DKK 100,000. This amount equals the one recommended by the Spillemyndigheden.

This case represents a milestone in the Danish iGaming industry. It is the first case to include a reference to enabling ROFUS-registered players to participate in gambling.

It’s possible to see the Danish regulator going after other similar websites that lure in Danes and send them to illegal websites. It remains to be seen how the owners of such sites will react and whether they’ll change their working practices to avoid similar prosecution.

Spillemyndigheden has been busy issuing fines this year. Only in September, another DKK 100,000 penalty was issued, this time to Tipwin Limited. In this case, the company was assessed to breach the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Concerning Details About Underage Online Gambling Among Danes

While the Danish Gambling Authority is battling illegal gambling operations, it’s also dedicated to staying in control at home.

Namely, the regulator published the results of an underage online gambling study earlier this month. The survey reveals that about 32,000 Danes aged from 15 to 17 participated in online gambling in the past year. This figure represents 15% of the people in the 15-17 age group and raises concerns regarding underage gambling in the country.

The report explained how many of those people played at websites without the mandatory Danish license. These sites often lack age verification processes or have them later in the player’s journey.

Namely, that’s one of the reasons why the Danish regulator has been actively working to block such sites. Ever since 2012, the regulator blocked access to 276 illegal gambling sites targeting Danes.

Among the 15–17-year-olds who gambled online, betting stands out as the most common activity, as 68% admitted to it. Online casino (42%), skin betting (35%), and lotteries and scratch cards (21%) were other commonly cited activities.

It’s interesting to note that StopSpillet, the official Danish helpline, is gaining popularity. Per the helpline’s reports, 4% of players seeking help were under 18. Moreover, half of the callers admitted to making their gambling debut while underage.