Part 4: The position of Danske Spil
Part 4:
The position of Danske Spil
Unfazed by
accusations of unfair
cross-promotion
between its lottery and
igaming businesses,
Denmark’s former
monopoly has moved
to reposition itself
with the launch of its
YouBet sportsbook
brand
18
One company which has hailed the
deregulation of the Danish online
gambling market is, unsurprisingly
former lottery and gaming
monopoly Danske Spil. In his recent
interview published by SBTech
following their recent deal, chief
executive Niels Erik Folmann said he
believed other countries had been
“inspired” by the Danish model.
Regulation here has been
managed well and we have
succeeded in cutting black and
grey operators to a minimum,” he
said. “We have experienced fierce
competition right from the start
and have welcomed it, since it’s in
the best interests of players and the
industry as a whole.
“The Danish taxation model
is based on gross profits, casino
is highly regulated and poker
has international player liquidity,
helping operators, both private and
state-owned, generate margins and
compete on a level playing field.
“This clearly shows that the right
regulations can help stimulate
growth in a regulated market,” he
adds.
For private operators, however,
the degree to which the Danish
market is truly a fair fight between
the ex-monopoly operator and
others in the market is more open
to question.
A legal separation
The issue boils down to one of
cross-promotion between the
lottery, where Danske Spil remains
the monopoly operator, and the
rest of the betting and gaming
business. The possibility of