Denmark’s political parties unite in support of mandatory bettor playing cards

A cross-parliamentary group of political parties in Denmark have supported a push by the country’s Ministry of Taxation to introduce mandatory player cards for customers using local betting kiosks.

Politicians from the Social Democrats, Social Liberal Party, Venstre, Danish People’s Party, Socialist People’s Party, Red-Green Alliance, Christian Democrats and The Alternative political parties backed the introduction of required IDs, which will be introduced as of 1 July 2022.

Both the Ministry of Taxation and parliamentarians have argued that the introduction of mandatory playing cards will provide better protection for young people and gambling addicts whilst also strengthening safeguarding efforts against money-laundering and match-fixing.

“With the playing card, we do away with the opportunity to play anonymously in, among other things, football matches,” said Morten Bødskov, Minister of Taxation.

“We are thus putting a stick in the wheel of the criminals who use this type of game as a means of, for example, laundering money. With the playing card, players must register, no matter how small amounts they play for, and data about their games are analysed and reported to the authorities if it seems suspicious.”

With regards to player protection, the cards will be used to check whether players are above the age of 18 before placing a bet, whilst also determining if a potential player has voluntarily excluded themselves from gambling or if they have exceeded their self-set spending limit before a wager can be made. 

Lottery coupons and scratch cards will be exempt from the new measure, but the Ministry maintains that the introduction of playing cards will effectively end the ability of players to place bets anonymously.

Furthermore, by requiring players to present their identification via the playing card, the Ministry intends to ‘reveal gaming partners’ through the collection and analysis of gaming data in order to detect signs of money laundering or match fixing.

“There is a need to tighten the rules in the gaming area,” Bødskov continued. “Many Danes – especially young men – have problems with gambling, and this often has major consequences for themselves, their future and their families. 

“That is why we have agreed with a broad majority of the parliamentary parties to launch a playing card. It is a targeted bet, as this is where the problems with gambling addiction are greatest.”

AML concerns in relation to the betting and gaming industry have become increasingly prominent in recent months in Denmark, with the country’s regulator – Spillemyndigheden, the Danish Gaming Authority – reminding licenced operators of their AML duties in an update last month.

Furthermore, the authority also recently reprimanding LeoVegas for AML shortcomings after allowing five customers to deposit between DKK 1.2 and 1.6 million between six and 46 months from 2017 to 2019.