Spillemyndigheden seeks collaboration with Google against illegal gambling

The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, will seek to do more to curb illegal gambling websites from targeting Danes. The regulator has outlined its plans to further strengthen its alliance and ties with technology companies such as Facebook and Google.

Spillemyndigheden is already working with Facebook, and it has a backchannel with the social media that allows the regulator to shut down groups that promote illegal gambling products and content to Danish consumers.

The renewed efforts that seek closer collaboration with Facebook, and now Google, are part of the "Report on illegal gambling 2022" shared by the regulator on its official website. The Danish Gambling Authority is hopeful that can establish similar cooperation with Google.

Essentially, the watchdog hopes that it will have access to reporting illegal gambling to Google which can then bring its algorithms and mechanisms to shut down such content and prohibit it from targeting consumers without the necessary permits.

Of course, such an approach ruffles some feathers as is the case with Internet Service Provider (ISP) bans with some experts worrying that blanket measures may backfire or catch innocent bystanders in the crossfire. This is why the Danish Gambling Authority has agreed to provide meticulous evidence as to why certain gambling websites ought to be removed or blocked.

This will involve the securing of robust evidence and reference to the legal basis for enacting a ban or content removal. Spillemyndigheden wants any content removal or blocks to be carried out based on a well-documented and informed basis. At the same time, Facebook and Google are not the only two technology companies that the regulator wishes to work with.

The watchdog is seeking collaboration with other companies which may be similarly interested to assist the regulator, which will argue its case with those companies which have not been named just yet. At the same time, the Danish Gambling Authority is insisting on more collaboration between the Gaming Regulator European Forum, which includes 36 countries and jurisdictions.

Denmark is one of the most successful countries in protecting consumers, as demonstrated by programs such as Rofus. The regulator believes that there is a "great desire" among members to bring around a unified front which will allow them to better counteract illegal gambling content.

Spillemyndigheden wants member states to exchange information about illegal gambling websites and act swiftly in shutting those down. The idea is gaining momentum every year as regulative frameworks become stricter and put an ever-greater emphasis on consumer protection and safety.

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