A court in Denmark has recently granted permission to the country’s regulator to block 79 unlicensed gambling sites. The Danish Gambling Authority (DGA) has taken action against a variety of unauthorized gambling platforms, including offshore casinos, sports betting operators, and skin betting sites that target children and young adults participating in online video games.
The decision to block these sites is made by a court in Frederiksburg, which approved the DGA’s request for the blocks. This latest batch of blocked sites brings the total number of gambling websites inaccessible to Danish citizens to 438. In 2024 alone, the DGA has blocked a total of 162 websites, marking the highest number of blocked sites in a single year since the banning practice began in 2012.
One of the major concerns for the regulator is skin gambling, where gamers use in-game items as virtual currencies to gamble on game outcomes. This form of gambling is particularly accessible to underage players, with popular games like Roblox being highlighted as problematic by DGA chief Anders Dorph. The regulator aims to protect children and young people from being introduced to gambling through gaming platforms.
The issue of youth gambling has been on the rise in Denmark in recent years, with a significant percentage of calls to the national gambling helpline StopSpillet coming from individuals aged 25 or younger since 2019. The self-exclusion register ROFUS also reports a high number of users under 30, indicating a growing trend of young adults engaging in problematic gambling behaviors.
To enforce the blocks on unauthorized gambling sites, Danish internet providers have implemented DNS blocks to deny access to these platforms. Teleindustrien, a trade group representing Danish ISPs, has played a key role in implementing these blocks, with additional providers volunteering to participate in the latest round of site blocks. Visitors attempting to access these blocked sites are met with warnings informing them that the site is illegal and lacks proper licensing and consumer protection measures.
In response to potential attempts to bypass the DNS blocks using VPNs or other software, the DGA emphasizes the importance of providing clear information to discourage users from accessing these unauthorized sites. Dorph stresses the risks associated with using unlicensed gambling platforms, emphasizing the lack of consumer protection and the potential dangers for players who choose to engage with these sites.
Overall, the actions taken by the Danish Gambling Authority reflect a commitment to protecting vulnerable populations, particularly children and young adults, from the harms of unregulated gambling. By blocking unauthorized sites and providing clear warnings to users, the DGA aims to prevent problematic gambling behaviors and promote responsible gaming practices in Denmark.