The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, released this week the latest data about the gambling spend in the country in the last two months of 2022.

November and December Figures

Licensed gambling operators submitted mixed revenue data for November and December as land-based casinos and gaming machine venues registered significant growth, online casino accounted for a modest growth and sports betting registered a double-digit decline.

Land-based casinos accounted for DKK60 million ($8.76 million) registering an increase of 28.6% as compared to the same two-month period in 2021 while growth for operators of gaming machines was smaller, 13.7%, to DKK194 million ($28.32 million).

The substantial increase across retail gambling operations in December was attributed to the lower revenues registered in the comparable period in 2021 as by that time land-based casinos were closed as part of the government measures against the pandemic.

Online casino license holders registered a growth of just 4.7%, to DKK504 million ($73.58 million), while revenue from sports betting operations declined by 14.6% to DKK395 million ($57.66 million) as compared to DKK462 million ($67.44 million) in the same period of 2021.

In December, online casino registered a record month of DKK 272.3 million ($39.75 million) since 2012 when the country began collecting GGR data. Online casino GGR in December 2022 beat December 2021 by 3.4%.

Full-Year 2022 GGR

For the full year ended December 31, 2022, gross gaming revenue (GGR) was DKK6.70 billion ($978 million), up 7.5% when compared to DKK6.23 billion ($909.5 million) registered in 2021.

The largest segment, online casino, accounted for a marginal growth of 2.4%, to DKK2.88 billion ($420.4 million), while the second-largest, sports betting declined by 4.1%, to DKK2.32 billion ($338.7 million).

The retail sector registered significant gains, 59.1% and 47.5%, or DKK349 million ($50.95 million) and DKK1.15 billion ($168.5 million) for land-based casinos and slot operations, respectively. In 2021, casinos accounted for a GGR of DKK220 million ($32.1 million) and slot machines added another DKK740 million ($108 million).

Last month, the Danish Gambling Authority addressed some issues with deposit limits and operator bonuses as part of its updated guidance on responsible gambling. Spillemyndigheden also reminded operators that deposit limits should not be set in a way that defeats the preventative and protective efforts of the tool itself and that bonuses should not be awarded to inactive players.

Also in December, the regulator updated the Register of Voluntarily Excluded Players (ROFUS) by implementing a new design to make navigation on the website easier for its users.

An active football player from the English Football League (EFL) voiced loud his concerns about the amount of gambling advertising that is flooding society, claiming that he would rather take a pay cut than profit from addiction, harm and suicide.

Kick Gambling Advertising out of the Sport

David Wheeler, a professional football player who has been playing for over a decade for the likes of Exeter, QPR, Portsmouth, MK Dons, and now, Wycombe, took a public stand against gambling advertising in The Guardian.

“In nearly all of my 500 appearances, I’ve had an online casino advert either on my shirt or surrounding me on the pitch,” Wheeler stated, adamant gambling advertising should be kicked out of the sport.

Wheeler admitted that it was not the responsibility of footballers to set policy but the authorities responsible for doing it, the government, regulator and governing bodies, “have so far failed.”

Yet, he believes that players “do have a responsibility to speak up” when there is a threat to the supporters, the communities and even their colleagues, mentioning the high-profile examples of footballers who have been punished for participation in betting over the past few years.

Leagues and Clubs Should Play Their Part

Wheeler lambasted the EFL deal with Sky Bet which named the league after the gambling brand, and pointing to the responsible gambling failure of Sky Betting and Gaming when it sent free spin offers to self-excluded players and exploited football fans through sign-up offers, strongly urged the league to seek for a sponsor outside of the gambling sector when the deal expires next season.

He was also highly critical of the number of times gambling advertising spots appear during matches from the EPL on television, as well as the high number of EPL clubs featuring a betting sponsor on the front of their shirts, arguing that “clubs are precious” and they should “act as mental health solace” for their fans, instead of being part of a model that incurs “huge long-term cost to society.”

Wheeler also considered the financial aspect of the matter and that gambling advertising directly contributes to player wages, and while some justify that football should generate as much money as possible at all costs, he begs to differ.

Costs Outweigh Benefits

“… I can assure you I’d rather be paid less if it meant not profiting from addiction, harm and suicide – and I’m not the only one,” he stated as a display of his determination to take a pay cut instead of contributing to people’s suffering.

Finally, Wheeler said that “football is heading towards some sort of reset with a regulator being introduced this year,” hoping to see it become “fairer, cleaner and more sustainable” while also changing the game’s relationship with gambling.

Positive Steps Ahead

Wheeler mentioned The Big Step campaign that aimed to end gambling sponsorship in football and was backed by more than 30 clubs already. The campaign was led by Gambling with Lives, the charity set up by families who have lost loved ones to gambling-related suicides.

He was delighted to see a growing movement to kick gambling advertising out of football gather pace and Wales legend Hal Robson-Kanu publicly calling for an end to gambling sponsorships, adamant that more players should follow his example.

Codere, a multinational gaming and sports betting leader, unveiled a new agreement with Club Atlético Lanús, a sports club from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Codere will sponsor the team, which will promote the operator in turn.

As agreed, Club Atlético Lanús’ players will bear Codere-Bingo Lanús’ logo on their jerseys, right under their player number. These players will debut the new uniforms during their game against Club Atlético Colón on January 29.

Codere has long supported Club Atlético Lanús, having served as its sponsor between 1999 and 2016. The current agreement will resume and deepen the ties between the sports team and the gambling company.

Under the deal, Codere will serve as the team’s sponsor by the end of the year, during which time the two parties will participate in various joint activations and marketing initiatives.

Both Parties Were Happy to Sign the Deal

Codere is very happy to sign this deal. According to Bernando Chena, the regional manager of Codere Latam (excluding Mexico), the new agreement resumes an important historic relationship. He added that his entire team is convinced that the renewed alliance will benefit all parties involved. Chena concluded that by teaming up with Club Atlético Lanús, Codere “made a winning bet.”

Luis María Chebel, Club Atlético Lanús’s president, resonated with Chena’s sentiments saying that welcoming back Codere as a sponsor is a very happy development for Lanús. Chebel said that this is likely the beginning of a new successful stage for both entities.

Fans will soon get to see the Club Atlético Lanús players in their new jerseys. The upcoming game will be on January 29, which is the first match day of the country’s first-division soccer league. The game is set to take place at the Brigadier General Estanislao López Stadium, in the City of Santa Fe.

Codere Is Committed to Supporting Argentine Sports

Codere is a global company with operations spanning the entire LATAM region and Europe. However, the company marked its humble beginnings in Argentina, in the early 90s. Because of this, Argentine sports are very important to the company.

Right now, Codere is the biggest bingo operator in Buenos Aires. The Bingo Lanús game room, which Club Atlético Lanús will represent, opened in 1991 and is now a huge casino with bingo stands, gaming machines and over 635 slots.

The agreement with the club attests to Codere’s commitment to local sports and is a move that will popularize the operator among local bettors.

The figures, published by Entain which co-owns the brand, are more or less in line with earlier estimates.

BetMGM Results Exceed Expectations

BetMGM’s revenue for the period was expected to sit at $1.3 billion. The actual number, however, sits more closely to $1.44 million, exceeding earlier expectations. The operator also posted same-state growth in net revenue from digital operations of 51%. It also nailed its EBITDA predictions, reporting an EBITDA loss of $440 million.

BetMGM expects to achieve net revenue of between $1.8 and $2 billion by the end of the current year and to eliminate EBITDA losses in the second half of 2023.

2022 was definitely a strong year for BetMGM, the release stated. Entain attributed these results to the impact of higher gross gaming margins. In addition, same state CPAs declined by 21% year-on-year thanks to the company’s data-focused marketing strategy. Another factor that affected the outperformance was the operator’s improved approach to player bonusing.

BetMGM now ranks among the top three gaming operators in the US and is a leading force in iGaming. The company’s products are live in 25 jurisdictions, allowing it to reach a whopping 45% of the adult population of the United States. The operator’s offerings are now available across the border thanks to its launch in Ontario almost a year ago.

The Company Continues to Lead in the US

BetMGM continues to cement itself as one of the leading sports betting and casino operators in the US. As a leader, the company realizes the importance of safer gambling and has some of the most robust responsible gaming standards in the industry.

BetMGM is a part of the National Council on Problem Gambling and leverages the award-winning program GameSense companywide. Furthermore, the operator continuously seeks to add more tools that regulate player behavior and help BetMGM minimize gambling harm.

Thanks to its commitment to excellence, BetMGM is hailed as one of the best companies in the sector and has been decorated with various awards. Some of them include Casino Operator of the Year by EGR North America, Casino Operator of the Year at SBC Awards North America and Online Casino of the Year by the American Gambling Awards. BetMGM was also named one of the Best Workplaces in New York by Fortune.

Adam Greenblatt, BetMGM’s chief executive officer, congratulated his team on the results. He lauded 2022 as a year in which the company fulfilled many of its strategic objectives and achieved notable milestones.

With continued and unwavering support from our shareholders, we look to 2023 confident in achieving further key milestones, including $1.8 to $2 billion in net revenue from operations and being EBITDA positive in the Second Half of 2023.

Adam Greenblatt, CEO, BetMGM

In other news, BetMGM just formed a strategic PA-oriented partnership with High 5 Games.

Michael Dugher, the chief executive officer of the Betting and Gaming Council addressed the matter of the upcoming white paper at BGC’s Annual General Meeting. The modernization of the United Kingdom’s gambling laws continues getting postponed and the BGC does not know a lot about its exact contents.

Rumors Claim the Mandatory Levy Is “In There”

As reported by Gambling Insider, Martin Le Jeune, Entain’s head of public affairs, spoke with Dugher about the proposed mandatory levy amid increased calls for its introduction. Gambling critics have continued to promote the idea of a tax that would force all operators to donate 1% of their proceeds to GambleAware. Currently, BGC members provide voluntary donations to support the research of gambling harm.

Le Jeune wanted Dugher to address recent rumors that claimed the mandatory levy may still be written into law. According to the Guardian author Rob Davies, the white paper is undergoing a “second write round.” The journalist later provided an update saying that sources told him the statutory levy is in there. Daily Mail senior political correspondent Tom Whiterow also shared news about these rumors.

Dugher responded to Le Jeune by saying he cannot be certain whether the statutory levy would become a reality. The BGC CEO revealed that even he cannot be certain of the exact contents of the white paper. Dugher noted that, currently, there are many changes being made and that even people close to the process may struggle to tell what the final version will contain.

Unconfirmed Claims Should Be Taken with a Grain of Salt, Dugher Says

The discussion saw Le Jeune address a widely believed misconception. While the current system of voluntary donations has proven to be effective, many believe that the industry is using its influence to dictate GambleAware’s moves. Because of that, anti-gambling activists want to replace the current system with a new one, in spite of warnings against such a measure.

Le Jeune fears that these allegedly false claims, which are often perpetuated even by senior officials, are why there is a high chance the industry may be “fighting an uphill battle.”

To that, Dugher responded that it is still early to say what the white paper would contain as discussions are ongoing. He added that Rob Davies and Tom Whiterow are “campaigning journalists,” meaning that their words should be taken with a grain of salt. He noted that the two might have contacted people who have an idea about the ongoing discussions but that does not mean they know what the white paper will contain.