Danish Gambling Authority joins multi-national video gaming declaration

The Danish Gambling Authority has co-signed an international declaration aimed at scrutinising the links between video gaming and gambling.

Seventeen other regulators, including the UK Gambling Commission, ARJEL and the Malta Gaming Authority, jointly signed the declaration in September, following increased concern about loot boxes and skin betting in games such as Star Wars Battlefront II, CS:GO and Overwatch.

Addressing these links, Birgitte Sand, director of the Danish Gambling Authority, said: “Children and young persons are particularly exposed since many of these play video games where elements from gambling are becoming more common. Consequently, it is natural for us to focus on the problems surrounding video gaming and gambling.”

In June 2018, a majority of the Danish Parliament reached an agreement on new initiatives against compulsive gambling. One of the initiatives the politicians agreed on was a research project on young persons’ relation to and possible addiction to video gaming.

As part of the declaration, regulators have committed to an informed dialogue with the video games and social gaming industries to ensure that effective laws are drawn up in this area by each signee.

Sand added: “We stand stronger when we address the industry collectively. I am delighted that the Danish Gambling Authority is part of an international collaboration in which we can share knowledge. The blurred lines between video gaming and gambling are far from an isolated problem in Denmark but are a common concern internationally.”