Denmark’s Gambling Regulator Stops Unrealistic Deposit Limits

The Danish gambling regulator, Spillemyndigheden, announced it updated its policies and guidance on responsible gambling. The regulator released version 1.4 of its guide on responsible gambling Tuesday and implemented changes to deposit limits as well as bonuses.

Deposit Limits Need to Be Realistic, Says Spillemyndigheden

The latest update of the Danish Gambling Authority’s guide on responsible gambling marks the fourth edition. The first version of the guidance dates back to January 2020, but it has undergone an update in November of the same year, as well as another update in September 2021. Now, the latest version implements changes and amendments that seek to enhance the protection of gamblers.

As a part of its latest update, the gambling regulator reminded licensed operators that the deposit limits cannot be “illusory” and must be effective. Spillemyndigheden, acknowledged that users setting deposit limits in thousands, which is more than the deposit allowed to be submitted in the account, should not be possible.

“Examples have shown that it has been possible for players to set deposit limits of several hundred thousand Danish kroner and where no assessment was made as to whether the deposit limit was realistic,“

reads Spillemyndigheden’s guide on responsible gambling

According to the regulator, unrealistically high deposits without proper assessment cannot be considered a deterrent or a method to protect the players from gambling harm. The gambling watchdog said that such unrealistically high deposit limits defeat the preventative and protective efforts of the tool itself.

At the same time, the watchdog said that deposit limits cannot be raised or disregarded when winnings are withdrawn. It said that players must adhere with their deposit limits regardless of the number of withdrawals completed for their account.

“In such cases, the deposit limit cannot be considered a real limit since the deposit limit is such an illusory, large amount that it does not have the intended, protective and preventive effect,“

added the gambling watchdog

Operators Must Not Award Inactivity Bonuses

Focusing on bonuses, Spillemyndigheden’s updated guidance acknowledged that bonuses must not be awarded to players who are inactive. Additionally, the regulator explained that licensed operators must “pay special attention to players who request bonuses themselves, as this may indicate that the player needs to gamble but cannot afford to gamble.”

“Thus, bonuses cannot be awarded based on a player’s inactivity,“

explained Spillemyndigheden

In other words, the gambling watchdog urged operators to stay vigilant and monitor closely users who request bonuses. On the other hand, Spillemyndigheden pointed out that online customers must not be lured with inactivity bonuses.