The Danish Gambling Authority Spillemyndigheden has revealed a fall in the number of people gambling during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The data released by the DGA showed a 60 per cent decrease in deposits made through licensed operators during the March 9 to May 3 time frame year-on-year, with regulators expecting this decline to continue until sporting events resume.

Morten Niels Jakobsen, director of the Danish Gambling Authority, explained: “It very much looks like some of the measures that have been put in place in connection with the lockdown of Denmark has had an effect on parts of the gambling market – particularly on betting, land-based casinos and gaming machines.”

Yet, despite the fall in betting across both retail and online, there has been a two per cent increase in deposits made on online casinos during the lockdown during the same period.

From 2018 to 2019, the online casino market increased with a total of eight per cent measured in gross gaming revenue. According to the regulators, “this cannot be concluded that the recent increase is due to COVID-19” and that “Danes do not seem to move their gambling from one gambling sector to another.” 

Jackobsen added: “Although it is still too soon to measure the full effect of the coronavirus crisis on the gambling market, it does not appear as if the decrease in gambling at land-based casinos and gaming machines as well as betting has caused an increase in gambling on online casino,” 

The Danish Gambling Authority will continue to closely monitor the country’s market and will examine the reaction when specific activities are resumed.