Danish Gambling Authority lauds successful gambling helpline
StopSpillet receives “overwhelming” record 500 calls from Danish gamblers since launch
The Danish Gambling Authority (DGA) has hailed the success of its gambling-related harm advice helpline StopSpillet, confirming it has received over 500 calls since its launch in January.
Of the 500 calls received by the StopSpillet line, 46% were from gamblers themselves, while 39% were from relatives of individuals at-risk of gambling-related harm.
The remaining 10% of calls were for guidance only, while 5% were made by existing treatment professionals looking for advice.
Eighty-five percent of gamblers contacting StopSpillet were men, although 69% of relatives or family members contacting the StopSpillet helpline for advice were women.
Despite the perceived success of the line in answering calls, a spokesperson for StopSpillet said it was not a criterion for success to have many calls from individuals seeking help in dealing with gambling-related harm.
“We would rather measure the success based on that the Danes who need us know that we exist. And we feel fortunate that gamblers and relatives feel well-advised and guided to move forward in the process,” the spokesperson added.
Birgitte Sand, director of the DGA, said the authority had only expected 90 phone calls per quarter and was “overwhelmed” by the large number of calls being received on the StopSpillet line.
Echoing earlier comments, Sand added: “On the one hand, we would of course prefer that neither players nor relatives face challenges with gambling. But on the other hand, we are both happy and proud that so many have reached out to StopSpillet and shown us the great confidence to seek our help.”
StopSpillet runs in tandem with the DGA’s ROFUS self-exclusion scheme, which allows Danish gamblers to self-exclude from all licensed Danish gambling sites.