More Operators Can Access Denmark’s Physical Casino Sector

Spillemyndigheden, Denmark’s gaming supervisory body, has opened the next round of applications for offline casino operators. Companies can express their interest and submit the required documents until November 3rd, 2026.

For the 1st time this year, new prospective licensees gained a chance to enter the land-based segment, while existing industry members can renew their permits. Under Gambling Act No. 1182 of September 22nd, 2025, a certification to run a physical casino can be issued for up to 10 years.

Application Review: Interagency Procedure

All submitted documentation will be examined by several government representatives, such as:

• local Police Chiefs;
• territorial municipalities;
• Taxation and Business Ministries.

Denmark’s Maritime Authority will also be involved in the review, if necessary. Regulatory commissions will primarily assess applicants' readiness to manage physical gaming venues with financial responsibility and professionalism.

When reviewing submitted papers, the following will be taken into account:

• chosen location;
• capital and liquidity;
• business descriptions;
• ownership structure data;
• C-level management details;
• current and prospective players;
• qualifications and industry expertise.

According to Spillemyndigheden’s officials, commercial stability is particularly important. Operating a ground establishment requires significant ongoing expenses, so potential licensees must demonstrate their financial consistency.

Present Situation in the Offline Segment

The country’s land-based casino vertical possesses 7 permits, held by venues in the following cities:

• Vejle;
• Aarhus;
• Aalborg;
• Odense;
• Helsingør;
• Copenhagen.

This application round may lead to brand-new facilities opening or changes to the current ownership structure. The market’s further development will become clearer once the ongoing procedure is completed and reviewed by the regulator.

Other entertainment niches show more dynamic tendencies. By the end of 2025, the authority had granted 1,970 certifications across all gaming categories in the state.

Land-Based Gambling vs Digitalisation

Physical establishments are facing increasing competition from the online sector. According to the regulator’s 2025 annual report, GGR for the offline casino sphere fell by 5.6% to DKK 378 million (approximately USD 58 million). By the end of the period, this segment accounted for approximately 3% of the country's total gaming market.

Let us compare this result with that of the digital environment:

• Web casinos generated DKK 4.31 billion (USD 646.5 million) during the same year.
• The figure represented around 38% of the entire Danish gambling industry.
• The numbers grew by 12.1% from 2024 and by 139% from 2012.

The recently liberalised physical bingo vertical earned DKK 30 million (USD 4.5 million). Its share stands at less than 1% of the whole market.

Online Games as the Main Growth Driver

The regulator notes that web gambling’s portion of total GGR has increased almost annually since 2012, with the only exception of 2022. Against this backdrop, land-based revenues have been declining throughout the same period. Authorities believe the digital sector’s growth drove the general surge in market revenues.

At the same time, resuming the acceptance of land-based licence applications shows that the oversight body still sees potential in the offline segment’s development. How attractive this opportunity will be for operators, and whether it will lead to more niche facilities in the country, will become clear once the process is complete.

Feel free to contact our team for consultations on launching certified iGaming projects in various jurisdictions. Casino Market's experts offer both turnkey solutions and individual business services.

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