Danish gambling helpline gets 3,000 calls since launch

The Danish Gambling Helpline, StopSpillet, has received nearly 3,000 calls since the service launched under the aegis of the national gambling regulator, Spillemyndigheden, back in 2019. The calls placed with the helpline reflect both awareness for problem gambling as well as for the incidence of problem gambling among family members and friends.

Out of the 2,933 calls placed with StopSpillet, 1,650 calls and messages were made and sent on behalf of players seeking help for their own gambling habits. Another 1,150 calls and messages were made on behalf of people who had a family member or a friend who was experiencing problem gambling.

StopSpillet is not just meant for players who know for a fact that they have an issue with problem gambling, though. In fact, the service could also help identify potential problems, as it allows people who contact it to take a test about their gambling habits and behavior.

The test comes with an index of 9, and anyone who scores 4 or higher can be reliably said to be experiencing problem gambling or to have a problematic relationship with gambling in the first place. Callers scored 5.94 on average, meaning that the people who ended up calling were in fact aware of their tenuous relationship with the activity.

StopSpillet is a fully supported project by the regulator, as the line is serviced by professionals who are increasingly expanding and improving their knowledge of problem gambling and seek to address the issue head-on. Meanwhile, StopSpillet had other valuable information to impart as part of its latest study.

For example, 67% of the calls had to do with online casinos, while another 20% had to do with slot machines in physical venues, pointing to a higher level of addiction among online gamblers. The information presented in the newest report helps flesh out the overall behavioral practices of consumers in Denmark.

Back in May 2023, the regulator also found out that 88% of those who called StopSpillet had in fact placed their wager before the age of 25, giving rise to the idea that younger customers are much more vulnerable than older counterparts. Denmark has been particularly sensitive about underage gambling and determined to eradicate the practice.

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