Betting and online gaming down in Denmark in Q1
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According to figures released by the Danish Gambling Authority, betting revenue fell by 3.7% year-on-year to DKK567m ($80.6m/£65.7m/€76.2m), while online gaming revenue dropped 2.5% to DKK702m. The regulator suggested some surprise at the decrease, noting these are the two segments that grown the most in Denmark since the market was liberalised.
However, overall gaming revenue was up by 20.3% year-on-year to DKK 1.57bn. This DKK266m increase was explained by the return of the contribution from land-based gaming, which was closed throughout the corresponding quarter in 2021.
Slot machine play was worth DKK241m in 2022, while land-based casino, which is the smallest segment in Danish gambling, was worth DKK65m. Casinos and gaming halls were closed throughout the first three months of 2021, but closed just for January in 2022.
Denmark’s total gross gaming revenue was up 29.6% year-on-year to DKK9.6bn in 2021, with the largest segment being lotteries, which were worth DKK3.4bn and made up 35% of the total. Lottery figures have not been released within the Q1 2022 update.
In 2021, online casino generated DKK2.81bn in revenue, which was 29% of the total market. Betting was worth DKK2.42bn, some 25% of the market, while slots and land-based casino made up the final 10%, worth DKK 1.0bn.
Danish lottery and gaming operator Danske Spil recorded gross gaming revenue figures of DKK4.83bn for 2021, representing a 1.9% increase from the previous year. The majority of the revenue – DKK2.79bn – came from lottery operations, up from DKK2.63bn in 2020. Danske Licens Spil – which offers licensed products such as sports betting and gaming – added DKK1.82bn.
During 2021, the Danish government announced its plans to merge Danske Spil with the Danish Class Lottery (Danske Klasselotteri).
