Denmark’s Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, has launched a nationwide campaign to educate young people under the age of 18 about the dangers associated with gambling.
15% of 15-17 yr olds gamble online
Spillemyndigheden announced the campaign today noting that its the first of its kind in Denmark.
In its announcement, the regulator noted that the educational drive came about as a result of recent survey results. Those results showed that around 15% of young people between the ages of 15-17 have gambled online in the past year while 24,500 minors aged 12-17 experience problems with gambling.
The announcement also highlighted that inquiries through its helpline StopSpillet show that most people with gambling problems started gambling before the age of 25.
Speaking of the campaign, Anders Dorph, Director of Spillemyndigheden said:
” Young people under the age of 18 in Denmark find ways to play for money, for example through friends or family or through online gaming sites without a Danish license. We know that the younger you are when you get your start, the more chance you have of developing a gambling problem later in life. That is why, for the first time, we are directly targeting young people under 18, and we are doing it in a new, creative way.
We want to educate young people about the risks of gambling and that in the long run, the house always wins in length. In other words, gambling is not a path to fast and easy money.”
The campaign will involve videos and posts on YouTube and Instagram which explain how a fictional character ‘the one-armed thief’ lures young people into gambling and losing money. Dorph noted that while the theme of the campaign is a serious one, the regulator hopes that the use of humor in its content will resonate with young people.
“The seriousness of gambling addiction must not be diminished. But that does not mean that we have to point the finger at young people who may be tempted to gamble. We have chosen a new approach in this campaign, in which we try to open the eyes of young people through humor and irony that is in keeping with social media content trends.
The idea is to pique their curiosity, get them engaged and talking about gambling without stigmatizing and creating fear. ”
‘The one-armed thief’ is played by David Minerba, while the content is directed by Comedian Martin Høgsted. Spillemyndigheden has also agreed deals with several social media influencers to help build awareness of the campaign.
New Knowledge Base Launched
Recently, the regulator launched a new knowledge platform, StyrPåSpillet. This is a free resource where parents can access all relevant information and statistics on problem gambling. It also includes guidance for parents on how to approach the topic of gambling with their children.
The new knowledge platform and the nationwide campaign are part of Denmark’s latest push to reduce the harms of problem gambling. Denmark’s Folketing has allocated DKK 30 million (€4.02 million) to the campaign from 2023-2025.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.
