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The Danish gambling regulator is showing no signs of slowing its efforts to tackle illegal gambling and improper promotions on social media sites and streaming platforms, after stepping up its enforcement action in 2022.
The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) revealed that in 2022 a record 82 websites offering illegal gambling were blocked, according to its latest annual report on illegal gambling published on March 30.
One place illegal gambling has increasingly migrated to in an attempt to avoid regulators is the social media site Facebook, with adverts for illegal sites also still popping up on Google searches, according to the authority.
The regulator already has a special agreement with Facebook that allows it to report illegal gambling, which it is now attempting to replicate with Google and other social media platforms.
On March 29, streamers primarily active on streaming sites Twitch and Google-owned YouTube were invited to attend a meeting with the regulator to ask questions and receive guidance after it received numerous queries about the rules surrounding the dissemination of illegal gambling.
Another key area the Danish Gambling Authority is focusing on when it comes to tackling illegal gambling is increased international collaboration, as highlighted by its support of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF) declaration on tackling illegal gambling.
“There is no question of a new EU-wide legislation, but there is an agreement to work together as much as possible on consumer protection and to ensure a fair gambling market throughout Europe,” the Danish Gambling Authority said in a statement on March 31.
The member states also want to “stand together for a constructive dialogue with online platforms; especially social media, which challenges all members”, according to the regulator.
There have been many concerns raised by European gambling regulators over the past few months surrounding promotions on social media platforms.
Last year, Germany’s Joint Gaming Authority for the Federal States (GGL) and the Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority both raised concerns about streaming platform Twitch’s move to ban only some streamed online casino games from its platform, saying streamers of unlicensed slots are breaking the law.
More recently, in February 2023, France’s National Gambling Authority (ANJ) said it is considering new powers to supervise gambling marketing, especially on social media.
