Spillemyndigheden Issues Warning on Marketing Bonus Offers

The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, has released a statement and issued warning to the operators.

The regulator assessed that the use of the word “free” when marketing a bonus offer is misleading if a wagering requirement is attached to the offer.

In accordance with the Consumer Ombudsman, in 2016, a statement contemplated the use of the word “free” in bonus offers. “The Consumer Ombudsman found that the chance of winning a win was impaired because consumers could not raise their winnings if they stopped the game before the wagering requirement was met, and the total sum of consumer deposits and winnings was higher than the consumer’s initially deposited amount,” said the statement.

The gambling authority said that this is similar to other concepts such as “free spins” and “free bet” if a turnover requirement is attached to the offer. “The use of these terms can create an expectation on the part of the consumer that the offer is actually free without any limitations and will therefore be contrary to the law if this is not the case,” said the watchdog.