Danish regulator blocked 25 sites in 2019

Danish gambling regulator Spillemyndigheden has continued its crackdown on unlicensed operators across the country, after confirming that it had blocked access to 25 online gambling websites. 

Publishing its report on illegal gambling, the regulator explained that it had been working alongside the Danish Tax Authority’s anti-fraud unit to carry out a search on 502 websites. 

The report said: “In 2019, the Danish Gambling Authority conducted three searches for potentially illegal websites in cooperation with the Danish Tax Agency’s anti-fraud unit. The search is still an important tool in the Danish Gambling Authority’s work in relation to monitoring illegal gambling, as it gives unique opportunities for searching and is efficient in covering a large number of websites. 

“In relation to skin betting websites, the Danish Gambling Authority has developed its own search system, as these websites on many parameters differ significantly from the websites that the traditional searches are aimed at. 

“The searches continually result in few websites with illegal gambling activities, and this is in accordance with the Danish Gambling Authority’s picture of the illegal gambling market, which is that there are fewer websites that directly aim their gambling activities at Denmark, nevertheless, websites with illegal mediation continue to pose a challenge.

“25 websites with an illegal provision of gambling were blocked in 2019. A new case concerning the blocking of websites has been sent to the court. The cases are expected to be completed in 2020.”

With regards to skin betting, the regulator carried out a review of 110 sites in 2019, with a more detailed review carried out for six of the sites. The regulator also filed 15 petitions for ISPs to be blocked. It follows on from a previous campaign launched by the regulator which sought to inform minors and their parents on the illegalities associated with skin betting.