Denmark: operators fund new Gambling Committee

The Danish Gambling Committee will boost research on gambling addiction.

Denmark.- A group of gambling operators has agreed to fund the new Danish Gambling Committee (Dansk LudomaniKomité). The body will aim to increase research on gambling addiction.

A combined DKK12m (€1.6m) in funding has been pledged by Betsson Group, Danske Spil, Spilnu.dk, Kindred Group and Mr Green. The Danish Gambling Committee will work out of the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University and will be chaired by departmental head Jørgen Frøkiær. The University of Copenhagen, University of Southern Denmark, Aarhus University Hospital and Aalborg University will also have representation on the board.

The committee will focus its efforts on four main areas: the treatment of gambling addiction, prevention of gambling harm among children and young people, preventing addition in online gambling and gathering general knowledge on gambling.

Frøkiær said: “We are pleased that the gaming companies are contributing to become part of the solution, and we are looking forward to helping a research area which has had a difficult time for many years.”

Kindred’s general manager for Denmark and Italy, Kim Olesen, said the initiative fit its goal of generating zero revenue from harmful gambling: “We don’t want to make money from players who have an unhealthy relationship with gambling. It is therefore important that we are able to help those who need help. 

“With our contribution to the Danish Gambling Committee, we want to take our share of the responsibility and support the development of better and more effective forms of prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.”

Kate Jacquerot, legal director responsible for responsible gaming at Danske Spil, added: “We want to contribute to creating a safe and secure gambling market in Denmark, and we are happy to support the Danish Gambling Committee, where new independent research can play a key role in creating knowledge about how we best prevent and take care of gamblers who show signs of addiction.”

The new committee expects to open applications for research projects at the start of July.

See also: Danish court confirms fine for illegal bingo and banko operator