Danske Spil has introduced new identification requirements in its retail locations in an effort to curb underage gambling. The Danish gaming operator will launch both physical and electronic player cards to be used at betting kiosks or supermarkets.
Danske Spil CEO Susanne Mørch Koch said the company “will not tolerate uncertainty as to whether our offering is in the hands of our children and young people or abused to launder illegal money.
“We already carry out extensive checks on betting in kiosks and working closely with authorities to track down suspicious people who might have criminal intent, but we can’t live with the doubt as to whether a criminal goes under our radar.”
Under the initiative, 3,000 gamblers will be required to show the ID card to ensures that the games “are not sold to young people under 18 or abused by criminals for money laundering,” she said. “In Danske Spil we will only bet with adults. Compliance with age limits has long been a focus area for us, and with the playing card we have an important and powerful tool in hand. Gambling is for adults and not for children.”
The CEO conceded that the establishment of the ID card could lead to a dip in revenues. “It is to be expected that part of the spontaneous game will go away and that it will cost us a significant three-digit million on our turnover at least in the short run. We have to take that write-down simply because we do not want to accept the alternative.”
