Denmark Is Tightening Casino Advertising Rules

14 October 2026

Denmark is increasing oversight of licensed online casinos' marketing tactics by capping welcome bonuses and enforcing stricter know-your-customer (KYC) as well as electronic-ID checks. The nation's regulator, Spillemyndigheden, recently emphasized the need for extra safeguards in an appearance at a gaming summit.

CONSUMER PROTECTION MEASURES LIMIT CONSUMER SPENDING

Under the redesigned policies, promotional offers may not exceed DKK 1,000 in value. A wagering requirement—if any—cannot exceed 10 times the combined deposit and bonus total. Any promotion must accommodate at least one hundred players on identical terms, offering 60 days to satisfy any requirements.

Promotional terms also must be displayed clearly, adjacent to the offer—as the national authority Spillemyndigheden decreed. Moreover, bonuses can't vary from player to player, lest an operator breach its obligations.

The package also strengthens ID checks when signing up, after new-device logins, and for alterations to registration data. Operators must use a Danish national eID or, where provided, models of eID deemed "substantial" or higher confidence level, as per the regulator.

Adding further checks, the authority states any player must establish a deposit limit before gaming—and that any adjustments require 24 hours' cooling-off period. A governmental document on proposed Gambling Package 1 amendments indicates a 1 January 2027 effective date.

A REGULATOR GETS CLEAR AND BUSY

"The aim," Spillemyndigheden explains, "is to prevent gambling addiction and harm—and strengthen customer confidence." For one, some online casino operators will be required to disclose data on their promotions, while receiving licenses warrants executive candidates show they won't take advantage of customers.

Some targeted sales promotion activities will however be reserved to fully licensed, duly registered gaming companies.

Taking its mission further, Spillemyndigheden has published a guide for "opportunities for Video Lottery Terminals promotions and promotions linked to social casino games." The players' age, location, frequency of play, time spent, wins, losses, deposit history, and payment methods are all now factors in eligibility for offers. Spillemyndigheden expresses concern over "the ease of online games and the possibility that customers can play continuously and end up gambling more than they intended."

BIGGER STICKS FOR BIG PLAYERS

The stern directive comes as authorities prepare a raft of changes to Denmark's laws, in the Gambling Package 1 proposed earlier this year.

Already, the authority is unifying operators' Central Self-Exclusion Registry (CSER) with ROFUS, the national, state-administered gaming self-exclusion system. In future, operators must explicitly communicate wins, losses and eligibility for promotions to consumers. Players can query the registry on both their own gaming activity and that of dependents. Adjudicators will take oaths, even as 2023 saw an increase in regulatory fines and stricter enforcement.

For gambling to remain legal, operators now need to run employee background and KYC checks. At the same time, changes to the law are addressing self-exclusion audit concerns, and adjusting a rule that problem gamblers could face the same exclusion measures.

Additionally, digital restrictions now extend to mobile phones, smart watches, and other internet-connected devices to prevent underage access.

Lastly, stricter limits on virtual currencies are meant to combat money laundering.

ENDING GAME?

The phased rollout means domestic operators now need to prepare for nearly two years of policy adjustments—along with restarting compliance processes and gathering evidence. Late last spring, operators complained that their players were left confused. One spokesman said his company "must take full responsibility, and we deeply apologize for this situation and commit to resolving these issues correctly."