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Calls for a complete advertising ban in Denmark are being challenged by a local trade association, as the government prepares to consider new restrictions.
In an article published by the Danish national newspaper Berlingske on March 4, Anne Juel Jørgensen, Danske Bank’s head of children and young people, wrote that she hopes taxation minister Jeppe Bruus will introduce a “total ban on gambling advertising”.
“It is not only an initiative that has had great value in Norway, but which is also repeatedly recommended by leading experts in the field, and which also has broad support among the population,” Jørgensen said.
The article was challenged in another piece published on March 10, written by Morten Ronde, the CEO of Spillebranchen trade association, which represents 20 gambling companies including Entain, bet365 and state-owned Danske Spil.
Ronde “absolutely” agrees something needs to be done to reduce the number of young people who gamble.
However, he believes Norway is only a great role model for Denmark in one area: “The responsibility that the Norwegian banks assume by rejecting transactions from illegal gambling providers.
“In fact, the same responsibility was imposed on Danish banks in 2012, but the banks fought so hard against the rules on blocking payments that a few years later the government had to roll back the rules again,” Ronde wrote.
Ronde added that Norwegian state-owned operator Norsk Tipping still advertises and that five out of ten Norwegian gamblers play on sites not licensed in the country.
Jørgensen also highlighted recommendations made by a “youth gambling panel”, which consisted of 14 different students, streamers and influencers.
The panel issued 16 recommendations published on February 2, including banning gambling advertising, platforms being held accountable for their content and clearer rules for gambling influencers.
Bruus said the recommendations were “important, and I will take them with me into the upcoming negotiations in the area”.
Vixio has asked the Danish Ministry of Taxation for confirmation of when these talks will take place, but has so far received no reply.
Separately, Anja Philip, the chair of the Danish Consumer Council (DCC), called on Bruus to crack down on illegal gambling advertising on social media and put an end to aggressive marketing.
However, the DCC does not want to get rid of the “responsible marketing” of legal gambling and is not calling for a complete ban, Philip wrote on March 1.
