Denmark faces calls to offer bingo and horseracing licences
Industry body DOGA hopeful operators will be able to offer the currently-monopolised products following regulation review next month
The Danish Online Gambling Association (DOGA) has called for the liberalisation of bingo and horse race betting to be included in upcoming amendments to the Danish Gambling Act and the Danish Gambling Duty Act.
Speaking to eGaming Review, chief executive of DOGA Morten Ronde said he was hopeful the government would regulate the online gambling products currently monopolised by operator Danske Spil.
“By now it is quite evident that the licensing model has prevailed over the old monopoly model and that while the numbers on betting and online casino are growing soundly the numbers for the lotteries are declining year by year,” he said.
“The government should regulate bingo and betting on horse racing in the same way betting and online casino was regulated,” Ronde added.
Changes to the acts are expected to be presented and passed during the coming parliamentary year which begins on 1 October, although delays could be caused by a general election, which must be called by the Danish government before 14 September 2015.
Exact details of the legislation have yet to be confirmed but the government is expected to assess the current market situation where the former monopoly operator Danske Spil continues to dominate the online sports betting and casino markets.
DOGA has argued that an uneven market situation will damage the market long term and the Danish Liberal Party has said it’s in favour of selling Danske Licensspil, the Danske Spil business which operates betting and online casino games.
According to the most recent figures from the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA), the online and land-based market combined grew 16% year-on-year in 2013 as GGR increased to DKK2.4bn from DKK2bn in 2012.