Denmark's Gambling GGR Rises by 2.6% Amid Decline in Land-Based Revenue

July 2024 brought positive news for the Danish gambling sector, as reported by Spillmyndigheden, the national gambling regulator. The data showed a 2.6% year-on-year increase in gross gaming revenue (GGR), with the total GGR across all forms of gambling, including land-based operations, amounting to DKK554 million (£62.2 million/€74.2 million/$82.6 million).

Online Casinos Drive Growth While Land-Based Venues Struggle

The online casino sector emerged as the most significant driver of this growth, registering a substantial 7.8% increase in GGR compared to the previous year, totaling DKK284 million. This rise underscores the sustained popularity of online gaming in Denmark, although it remains below the record DKK309 million achieved earlier in March 2024. Conversely, sports betting, another critical segment of Denmark's gambling industry, saw a modest 0.7% increase in GGR, reaching DKK149 million, just a fraction higher than the DKK148 million reported in July 2023. This figure, however, marks a notable decline from June’s high of DKK271 million, driven by the fervor of the Euro 2024 tournament.

Challenges in Land-Based Sector and Rising Self-Exclusions

Despite the uptick in online gambling, the land-based sector faced significant hurdles in July. Casino revenue saw a stark 9.4% year-on-year decline, falling to DKK29 million, with a month-to-month dip of 9.3% from June's figures. Similarly, slot machine revenues dropped by 5.2% to DKK92 million from the previous year, continuing a downward trend from June's GGR of DKK97 million. Another critical element of Denmark's gambling landscape is the ROFUS self-exclusion scheme. In July, the total number of individuals registered with ROFUS rose to 51,226, an 11% increase compared to July 2023. This includes 17,157 temporarily excluded players and 34,069 wholly excluded players, with a notable gender disparity: 22.67% female and 77.33% male. Overall, Denmark's gambling market posted mixed results in July 2024, with online growth offset by challenges in the land-based sector and rising self-exclusions reflecting concerns around responsible gaming. Source: 'Danes' gambling spend in July increased', spillemyndigheden.dk, August 28, 2024.

By GamesAndCasino