Sports betting drives Danish Q4 growth
Regulated online sportsbook and casino total more than DKK2bn in 2012.
Strong quarter-on-quarter increases in sports betting revenue has regulated online gambling reach more than DKK2bn (£230m) in 2012, according to the latest results from the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA).
Sports betting attracted DKK355m in the fourth quarter compared to DKK270m in the third and DKK265m in the second. Overall sportsbook revenues for 2012 totalled almost DKK1.3bn.
Casino revenues, meanwhile, grew from DKK215m to DKK235m in the quarter, with annual turnover reaching DKK870m overall.
The DGA estimate that 25% of the online casino GGR is from games where duty is paid on commission including online poker.
It also claimed in a statement that the market for betting and online casino after the new legislation has become “attractive” for legal operators, leading to a significant drop in the illegal market.
While an assessment of the size of the illegal market remains “rather uncertain”, the DGA estimates that the illegal operators are unlikely to have a market share above 5%.
When the market officially opened in December 2011, 38 companies were awarded operating licences, while seven local businesses were given income-restricted approval.
Meanwhile last month the DGA announced that a total of 25 operators have had one-year licences extended to allow the companies to offer their services in the market for five years.
Following the announcement of the licence extensions, the DGA has also issued an update on measures in place to block unlicensed sites from the Danish market. In June 12 operators, including Betclic Everest subsidiary bet-at-home and seven Playtech-powered sites, were blocked by internet service provider 3, while a further eight companies were banned in November.