Following the introduction of new ID laws, Denmark has seen a drop in retail betting.
On 1 October 2023, Denmark introduced mandatory Player ID requirements for players who wanted to bet at kiosks or betting shops.
Each operator was responsible for issuing their own Player ID cards and players had to link it to their account held with the brand.
This not only increased customer protection by reducing the risk of underage people gambling, but also strengthened efforts to combat money laundering and unethical behaviour.
In addition, the Player ID cards also prevented those who had signed up with the self-exclusion register from gambling in retail locations.
From the data provided by Spillemyndigheden, the distribution of betting activity across different platforms was fairly stable throughout both 2022 and 2023 before the changes were made.
Typically, mobile use accounted for around 60% of betting activity, while computer use supported online casinos with 23% and land-based casinos with the final amount of 17%.
However, after the changes were made in October 2023, the land-based statistics dropped to 8% for both sequential months.
Gross gaming revenue (GGR) also decreased by 17% when the months were compared year-on-year, with an October total of €24m ($26.2m).
In comparison, the GGR of online casinos one month later in November increased by 8%, up to €251m.
In its statement, the Spillemyndigheden said: “In the first two months after the introduction of the Player ID, the spending on the land-based betting market was lower compared to before the introduction of the Player ID.
“However, it is too early to conclude whether the decrease is due to the Player ID.”
