Danish online gambling revenues down

The latest numbers from the Danish Gambling Authority show that although betting and online gambling GGR has improved substantially year-on-year, revenues again slipped on a quarterly basis in Q2-2013 ended June 30, coming in at Danish kronor 585 million (around GBP 67 million)

The dip is bigger than in the previous two quarters (DK610 million and DK 590 respectively), suggesting that it is not just the summer holiday season that is depressing the market.

Nevertheless, the Authority appears optimistic, noting that it expects GGR from betting and online casino action to grow this year, surpassing last year’s total of DK2,045 million to reach an anticipated 2013 GGR of DK2,385 million.

The latest results also have to be viewed in terms of the corresponding quarter last year, when GGR of DK500 million was recorded.

The Authority notes that online casino GGR specifically has increased from Q1 to Q2 and is higher than the same quarter last year.

The report shows that as at August 2013 there are 30 licence holders who have 15 licences for betting and 28 licences for online casino activity.

Former state monopoly Danske Spil continues to dominate the Danish online market in sports betting and online poker, bingo and casino offerings, accounting for an estimated 60 percent of the online action.

The overall Danish online pay-out ratio (turnover divided by prizes) in Q2 2013 was:

• Online casino: 96 percent
• Betting: 86 percent

Over the past 4 quarters the average pay-out ratio on betting has fluctuated between 84-86 percent, while the average pay-out ratio for online casino has been 96 percent in all quarters.

Since Q1-2012 online poker has contributed a declining share of the total GGR from online casino operations.

Since June 2012 a growing number of Danish punters have registered themselves on ROFUS, a self-exclusion register where players can voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling websites.

• More than 2.000 persons were registered in ROFUS at the beginning of August 2013.
• Around 65 percent have excluded themselves permanently, while the rest have excluded themselves for 1- 6 months.

Around 80 percent of online casino and betting players in Denmark are males, mostly in the 18-45 years demographic. Female players are more evenly distributed among different age groups.

View the numbers at http://www.skat.dk/SKAT.aspx?oId=2122073&lang=us and at http://www.skat.dk/getFile.aspx?Id=108005