Given that Scandinavia has a high rate of technological adoption, Denmark’s steady rise to the top of the European iGaming league since 2012 is not surprising. This report offers an in-depth analysis of the market, taking into account player demographics, interests, and ambitions, as well as the rapid expansion of online channels – based on official data from the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden).
Coming up:
Market size and growth for iGaming in Denmark
Danish online gambling legislation
Popular casino games in Denmark
Danish sports betting
Looking to the future
Market size and growth for iGaming in Denmark
Over 5.41 million individuals in Denmark have a mobile connection and there are 5.69 million users, or just over 98 percent of the population, who are using the Internet.
The percentage of GGR produced by online gaming in the Danish gambling sector has been rising since 2012, according to Spillemyndigheden’s statistics. Online gaming income (across all verticals) made up 31% of total gambling revenue in 2012, increasing to 59% in 2020.
According to Spillemyndigheden’s annual review for 2021, Danish players are increasingly preferring to place their bets through online channels, notably mobile devices, which is up 7.2% from Q4 2020.
Online casinos have a 64.3 percent market share in 2021 with a GGR of 700 million euros and 450 million euros in revenue. The GGR for sports wagering was 250 million euros, or 35.7%.
Danish online gambling legislation
The Danish gambling industry, which started offering commercial online gaming on January 1, 2012, is governed by the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA). Under this new Danish legislation, commercial licences for poker, casino games, and sports betting were made available. On January 1st, 2018, commercial licences for bingo and horse/greyhound racing became accessible, ending the market monopoly of the national lottery operator.
The current tax rate for online gambling and interactive sports betting is 28 percent of GGR, up from 20 percent in 2021. In order to raise the social obligations of operators, the government presented new laws in 2019. This legislation went into effect in 2020, comprising of:
- Limit requirements for weekly, daily, or monthly player deposits.
- No one promotion or promotional (free bonus) sum should be greater than 135 euros (DKK 1,000).
- Betting promotions cannot be worth more than 10 times the players’ bet.
- Broader targeting for promotional offers; at least 100 players must get the same offer.
- Players must have at least 60 days to complete a promotion’s requirements.
Don’t miss the chance to read our German iGaming Market Report!
Popular casino games in Denmark
Popular video slots that have gained a lot of momentum in Denmark are Book of Dead and Legacy of Dead by Play’n GO, Bonanza by Big Time Gaming, and Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play. Viking and Nordic themes are also quite popular in Denmark. Live dealer and casino shows are likewise quite well-liked.
It’s easy to see why these live dealer presentations are so popular: they’re entertaining, fast, and include a range of in-game choices to keep players interested. Players benefit from a deeper and more interesting involvement when presenters deliver the game in real-time.
Danish players choose games like Roulette, Blackjack, and Bingo the most. In Denmark, there are several physical casinos that also provide live games in specially designed TV rooms so that local players may participate in the online games as well.
According to data from Ficom Leisure and the Danish Gambling Authority, 73.5 percent of all users of online casinos play slots, making it by far the most popular game category. Blackjack and commission games made up 6.5 percent and 6.8 percent respectively, with roulette coming in second with 9.7 percent.
Danish sports betting
The most popular sport in Denmark is without a doubt football, which has produced numerous successful footballers and teams. The Superliga, a professional domestic football league with a total of 12 clubs, was established in Denmark in 1991. Other leagues with active betting include the Danmarksserien, Danish 2nd Division, Danish 3rd Division, and Danish 1st Division.
Over 100,000 licensed handball players play in Denmark, with the best professional men’s handball league being HTH Ligaen, and the best professional women’s handball league being Damehndboldligaen. Another well-liked sport in Denmark is ice hockey, with Metal Ligaen being the most prolific league since 1954.
Denmark has a very high rate of per-capita bicycle ownership with Bjarne Riis, Tony Rominger, Henry Hansen, Michael Rasmussen considered being among the best in the world. Numerous online sportsbooks targeting the Danish market provide coverage of major cycling events including the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, World Championship Cyclo-cross, Milan-San Remo, and others.
Danes like playing basketball, badminton, gymnastics, American Football, and other sports. Danish athletes are also interested in VR sports, and the demand for VR leagues is increasing quickly as a result of the pandemic ban on live competition. They can operate all year long and are not impacted by seasonal fluctuations, therefore they are expected to remain popular.
Looking to the future
The tight restrictions around promotions will force operators to look at how other sectors have used customer data to increase engagement with new customers while retaining those already in the ecosystem. With so many rules and regulations, traditional promotions will be taking a backseat and operators will instead need to enhance the overall customer journey and experience. By accessing technology and working with the right partners, they will be able to improve their Player Lifetime Value plans through better future personalization, gamification, and other important elements.
Delasport is ideally positioned to advance iGaming in Denmark with a variety of products and solutions created to provide players with the finest experiences. Delasport is in many respects a secure bet for operators wishing to enter the Danish market thanks to its GLI accreditation to operate in Denmark with Sportsbook, Casino, PAM, together with the availability of market-leading technological solutions.
