Danish court backs blocking of 55 gambling websites

A court in Denmark has upheld website blocking orders issued against 55 gambling websites by the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA) following a legal challenge by internet service providers (ISPs).

Judges in the Danish City Court dismissed the lawsuit, upholding the right of the DGA to bar access to the websites, which are not directly licensed in the Danish market.

Twenty-two online casino sites were blocked by the DGA, with a further 23 so-called skin betting sites included on the 55-strong list.

Filing a legal challenge against the blocking order, ISPs claimed the move could only be enforced if the DGA could effectively prove that Danish consumers had gambled on each site.

This was later proven by the DGA via screenshots and additional evidence.

It is understood the blocking process is already underway, with the ISPs launching a separate appeal against the ruling.

“One of our most important tasks is to protect players from illegal gambling,” DGA director Anders Dorph said. “At the same time, we must ensure that the providers who are licensed to offer games in Denmark can run their business under orderly conditions.

“The record high number clearly shows that there is a need for the targeted effort, and we will therefore maintain the increased focus in the future,” Dorph added.

Regulators have blocked 145 gambling websites since the regulated Danish market launched in 2012. In 2020, the DGA increased its scrutiny of online gambling websites as part of a focus on identifying unlicensed operators targeting the Danish market.