Exclusive: Danske Spil calls for operator bodies to unite
Danske Spil CEO urges Danish lobby groups to work together - denies joining DOGA.
The CEO of the Danish gambling monopoly has denied joining the country’s new online lobby group and urged it to merge with competing organisation the Danish Gaming Association (DanGaming).
Following Morten Rønde’s announcement that Danske Spil had become the latest operator to join the Danish Online Gambling Association (DOGA), CEO Hans Christian Madsen this morning denied the claim, and called on DOGA to merge with competing operator body DanGaming.
Madsen admitted to eGaming Review that he fears that having two competing pressure groups working separately towards the same goal could dilute the influence of operators looking to influence changes to legislation.
“My proposal to them is to join forces. Morten is working on behalf of the Euorpean operators but he wants to connect the Danish online companies in one organisation and I think that’s good, but it is the same goal DanGaming has.
“Denmark is too small to have two organisations saying the same thing to the government, I think to ensure good conditions we should have a single association. Having two organisations is weakening the position of operators when dealing with the government,” he added.
DanGaming founder Rolf Andersson supports Madsen’s view, but maintains that the two organisations can work alongside one another while remaining separate.
“It is important to work together, as any public conflict in the first two years of the market opening is bad for everyone concerned and we want to make sure we are in a position to move forward,” he told eGaming Review.
Andersson said DanGaming would approach DOGA to discuss establishing a memorandum of understanding between the two bodies ahead of DOGA’s inaugural meeting on 29 November.
DOGA chief executive Morten Rønde added that while his organisation would look to work with DanGaming, no decision can be taken until the founding members have agreed on a structure for the organisation.
Madsen also revealed that only Danske Licens Spil, the company’s sports betting, casino and poker arm, would join an operator association, with Danske Lotteri Spil, its monopoly-focused subsidiary, remaining autonomous. “We have a monopoly so we have no reason to align with either organisation. We want to be the biggest operator in all categories, but we can’t be that from day one, because we are starting on zero in poker and casino.”
With DOGA’s inaugural meeting scheduled next Tuesday, Madsen said Danske Spil would not make a decision on which organisation to join until the company has time to digest the articles of association announced.
“We have looked at DanGaming’s articles of association, and we will look at DOGA’s when they are announced, and then we will make a decision. Until now we are not 100% aware of the purpose and the articles of Rønde’s organisation, so will not make any decision before we know that, or before we know who has a license,” Madsen explained.
He added that operators aligning themselves with groups prior to licenses being awarded risk being associated with companies whose applications are unsuccessful, therefore potentially running illegal operations in the market.
Meanwhile, the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission and the Danish Gambling Authority yesterday signed a bi-lateral cooperation agreement with a view to establishing information sharing between the two authorities. The agreement will be formally signed once the Danish Gaming Act comes into law in January 2012.