It was in 2012 when Denmark re-regulated its gambling market in a manner that opened it for international operators. Given the fact that gross gaming revenue has been going up since then, the move could be considered a positive one for the country’s gambling industry.
Revenue has been rising, according to the quarterly reports posted by the Danish gambling authority – Spillemyndigheden, since 2012. However, it appears that so has the number of residents who are at risk of falling victims to gambling-related addiction.
According to a report compiled by the Danish National Center for Social Research (Det Nationale Forskningscenter for Velfærd), the number of people playing for money has decreased from 2005 but there are more Danes to have shown signals for problem gambling behavior in 2016. Here it is important to note that a similar study was conducted back in 2005 and this is why the results from this year’s report were compared to the figures posted more than a decade ago.
Financially backed by Denmark’s Ministry of Taxation, the National Center for Social Research studied gambling behavioral patterns among players aged 18-74. According to the center’s findings, fewer people played for money over the past year than in 2005. Back then, gambling rate within the above-mentioned demographic stood at 76% compared to 63% in 2016. However, figures posted in the more recent report show that more 18-74-year-olds have shown problem gambling behavior that can evolve into addiction in 2016 than in 2005.
The research center reported that there were around 10,000 Danes with actual gambling addiction, up from 6,000 reported back in 2005. Male gambling customers aged between 18 and 39 are in the greatest risk of developing problem gambling habits and eventually addiction, according to the report. It was also pointed out that online betting is the gambling activity which the most people with moderate to serious gambling problems have opted for over the past year. In comparison, card games were the ones played the most by this particular gambling demographic.
The Danish gambling regulator introduced a voluntary online register for those willing to exclude them from online gambling in 2012 when the market was liberalized. According to the most recent data made public, as many as 7,500 residents have signed up for ROFUS, as the register is referred to.
Following the report’s publication last month, Spillemyndigheden Director Birgitte Sand said that it was their responsibility to promote all the means available for players to protect themselves from becoming gambling addicts and that they were planning to launch a number of initiatives for the purpose.
For instance a mobile app that will make it easier for players to register in ROFUS and track their gaming consumption and behavior is expected to be rolled out any time now.
