Danish Gambling Authority issues new licence fee structure

The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, has brought into force a new casino licence fee structure, where the cost of annual payment is stipulated by each casino’s GGR.

The new framework, effective from July 1, replaces an older fee structure – where Danish casinos recompensed the state regulator for costs associated with operational supervision. Under former legislation, a DGA officer had to be present at all times throughout a casino’s opening hours.

However, the Danish government amended its Executive Order on Land-Based Casinos early last year – and opted to phase out this supervisory process. Under the new regime, Danish casinos will imminently pay a pre-paid fee for 2016, based off of 2015 gaming performance. This fee will subsequently be adjusted in January 2017, dependent on the actual full-year 2016 haul.

There are seven landbased casinos at present in Denmark, located throughout the country in the cities of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Odense, Vejle, Aarhus, Aalborg – with an additional floating property on board a ferry service between Copenhagen and Oslo. Last year, Denmark’s casino industry saw growth in GGR following two years of decline – with an aggregate net win of DKK340m (E45.7m).