Denmark regulator wins court order to block record 178 illegal gambling websites
The Denmark Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) has secured court approval for the blocking of a record 178 websites it said have been operating in the country illegally.
Approval came from the court in Frederiksberg, which ruled in favour of Spillemyndigheden at a hearing on 26 June. Internet service providers and telecommunication companies in Denmark must now block access to the sites.
The decision represents the largest mass blocking order since Spillemyndigheden began this form of activity in 2012. Previously, the regulator only brought cases to court once a year, but this has doubled since 2023.
“It is of course frustrating that illegal gambling sites targeting Danes continue to appear,” Spillemyndigheden Director Anders Dorph said. “But I am very pleased that we have tools to find the sites and that we succeed in blocking them.
“In 2023, we took the initiative to have the websites blocked twice a year instead of once. This means we can more quickly close access to sites that do not have a Danish licence and where consumers do not have the same protection as with gaming providers that have a licence.”
Which sites are being blocked in Denmark?
Spillemyndigheden published a full list of all 178 websites that will be blocked in the country. This does not include any major gambling brands but does feature several variations of the same website.
For example, Verdecasino features more than 70 times on the list, with each of its websites having a slightly different name. CSGOempire also appears more than 10 times while N1bet features in various forms 20 times on the list.
The regulator has a list of criteria to assess whether websites are operating illegally in the country. An unlicensed site is considered to be targeted at Denmark if one or more of these are identified.
Criteria include the website being available in Danish language, offering both deposits and withdrawals in Danish currency, Danish customer service and accepting payment methods that only work in Denmark. Spillemyndigheden also flags sites that offer sports betting on lower-level leagues and competitions in the country.
The regulator initially issues a warning to sites that breach the rules. If operators do not comply, Spillemyndigheden asks telecommunications providers to block the website, with this request then sent to court for approval.
The latest round of blocking orders comes after Spillemyndigheden revealed an 11.6% year-on-year rise in legal gambling revenue in April. Revenue reached DKK665 million (€89.1 million/$104.4 million) in April, driven by growth in the online casino market.
Online casino drew DKK331 million, up 21.4% from April 2024. Slots accounted for 78.9% of this total, ahead of blackjack on 6.6% and roulette 6.4%, with the remaining revenue spread across poker, bingo and other games.