Casinos in Denmark were illegal for a long time. The only games that were not prohibited were lotteries, bingo, keno, instant win games, and horse racing. But, all of them were controlled by Danske Spil, a state-owned company that held a monopoly on the market.
However, ever since 2012, when the new Gambling Act was introduced, online casinos were legal to operate and offer their services to the people. Danske Spil still holds a monopoly over the aforementioned games, but now casino games such as slots, poker, roulette, and many more can be accessed by Danish players at any time. The only exception to the law is poker tournaments.
Additionally, according to the Gambling Act of 2012, every online casino operator must obtain a license form the Danish Gambling Authority – a regulatory body that is in charge of overseeing and controlling all gambling-related activities in the country. Online casinos that are not based in Denmark are allowed to operate and offer their services to the players, as long as they have a license.
The regulation is very strict and the government in Denmark and all unlicensed casinos are blocked. Not only that but unlicensed casinos that are based in Denmark face radical criminal charges that can lead to imprisonment if they are caught.
As for the other purposes of the Danish Gambling Authority and other departments that are connected to regulated gambling, some of those that deserve a mention are:
- Keeping the consumption of gambling games at a certain level
- Providing a fair and responsible manner for gaming operations
- Preventing gambling to be used as a support of criminal activities
- Protecting the youngsters from being exploited
It is worth mentioning that the taxes for running both land-based and online casinos are very high in Denmark. The tax for land-based casinos is 45%, while the tax for online casinos is 28%, which is a rate that is much bigger than the one of most countries around the world.
Danish Players Favourite Games
Danish players have a plethora of games that they enjoy. Currently, since the lottery has been around for the longest time, this game remains the most popular as some research has stated that over 40% of the players in Denmark have accessed some kind of lottery game.
Sports betting is also very popular in this country due to the fact that Danish people love sports and are fond of the idea of placing bets. Up until the changes with the new Gambling Act were made, sports betting was illegal, which is why the new law was welcomed with open arms.
Poker and bingo are also adored by many players. Bingo's case is similar to the lotteries – this game has been around for a long time, which is why many players are fond of it. As for poker, Danish people are known for their intelligence and superiority and poker is a game that requires those types of qualities.
Since this is a game that relies far more on skill than on luck, Danish players are more than open to playing it. It is worth mentioning that poker tournaments are still prohibited in Denmark, which is why players from this country are not allowed to compete at that level.
Finally, Bitcoin games have also gained some popularity in the recent period. The reason for that is because Bitcoin has been on the rise recently and it has been the main topic of financial news from all around the world. Not only that, but many online casinos offer tons of quality Bitcoin games and Danish players are open to giving them a try.