Denmark Strengthens Match-Fixing Regulations
The Danish gambling authority, Spillemyndigheden, has published new guidelines on combating and preventing match-fixing. These guidelines are part of a new political policy aimed at stricter controls in the gambling market.
Following a consultation period where licensees and the industry association could respond, the new guidelines were published on Tuesday. The new rules will be implemented on July 1, 2025, and include several new measures. The document also further clarifies existing measures.
Ban on Betting on Youth Matches
One of the rules made more concrete in the new guidelines is the ban on offering sports betting on youth matches. The Spillemyndigheden explains which age categories fall under the ban. Betting on matches of Under-19 teams is still allowed, but all categories below that are prohibited.
This makes the regulations in Denmark less strict than in the Netherlands, where a ban on betting on youth matches also exists, but the limit is 21 years. Betting on competitions intended for athletes younger than 21 is not allowed.
Athlete List
Furthermore, the Spillemyndigheden will update a list twice a year with the names of athletes in Denmark, the ‘Athlete List’. This list contains the names of all athletes who can influence matches on which bets can be placed.
All licensees in Denmark are required to check their customer base for the presence of players on the Athlete List. If one of the athletes has an account with the licensee, the player’s betting behavior must be closely monitored:
“If the player is on the athlete list, the licensee must be aware of the player’s behavior regarding their own matches and their own sport. This may give rise to a suspicion that the Danish Gambling Authority must be informed of (see Article 14 of the Executive Order on Match-Fixing). However, the licensee is not otherwise obliged to report players on the athlete list to the Danish Gambling Authority.”
Whistleblower Program
All licensees with more than five employees will also have to set up a whistleblower program. According to the new Spillemyndigheden guidelines, employees must be able to easily and anonymously report suspected match-fixing within the company.
In addition, gambling companies must refuse bets and payouts if it cannot be ruled out that the gambler in question had prior knowledge of a specific sporting event. If this measure is used, the licensee must report on it extensively. This also applies if it ultimately turns out that the gambler had no prior knowledge and the payment could still be processed.
Finally, there are also new rules for a mandatory risk assessment of sports matches or competitions. Licensees must draw up a risk assessment based on player profiles, type of bets, and payment methods aimed at recognizing and countering match-fixing signals.
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