The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) has opened a new application window for land-based casino licences, giving operators until November 3, 2026, to submit full applications and supporting documentation.
The move marks the first formal opportunity this year for companies to enter Denmark’s land-based casino segment or renew an existing permit.
Under Consolidated Act No. 1182 of September 22, 2025, on gambling, Spillemyndigheden can issue land-based casino licences for terms of up to 10 years.
Multi-agency review process
Every application submitted will go through a consultation process involving several government bodies before a decision is made.
“All applications received will be sent for consultation to the local municipality, the local Chief of Police, the Ministry of Taxation, the Ministry of Business, and, where relevant, the Danish Maritime Authority,” Spillemyndigheden stated.
In evaluating candidates, the regulator said it looks primarily at whether an applicant can be expected to run a casino in a “fully professionally and financially responsible manner.”
That assessment includes a review of professional suitability, “including whether the applicant has experience with offering gambling or is otherwise qualified to operate a land-based casino,” alongside financial standing, “including whether the applicant has sufficient liquidity, as operating a land-based casino involves significant expenses.”
Spillemyndigheden added that it also weighs geographical factors, an applicant’s existing or potential customer base, and detailed project descriptions submitted alongside each application. Ownership structure and senior management information factor into the review as well.
Denmark’s land-based casino sector currently comprises seven active licences, covering venues in Copenhagen (both the S and V districts), Helsingør, Odense, Vejle, Aarhus and Aalborg.
Depending on how many new permits are granted, the reopened application round could expand the market or shift its ownership structure.
By the end of 2025, Spillemyndigheden had issued 1,970 licences across all gambling categories in Denmark.
Land-based segment shows mixed signals
Spillemyndigheden’s 2025 annual report, “Spilmarkedet i tal 2025,” showed land-based casino gross gaming revenue (GGR) fell 5.6% to DKK378 million ($58 million) last year, representing 3% of Denmark’s total gambling market. Land-based bingo, newly liberalized, generated DKK30 million ($4.5 million) in GGR, under 1% of the market.
Online casinos remain Denmark’s largest gambling vertical by a wide margin. Online casino GGR hit DKK4.31 billion ($646.5 million) in 2025, or 38% of the total market, up 12.1% year-on-year and more than double (+139%) its 2012 level.
Spillemyndigheden noted that online gambling’s share of total GGR has risen every year since 2012, apart from 2022, while land-based GGR has declined over the same period. The regulator said the overall rise in market GGR “is therefore driven by the rise in online gambling.”
Even so, the decision to reopen the land-based licensing process suggests Spillemyndigheden sees room to sustain or grow the segment, though how many applicants come forward remains to be seen.