DENMARK Law and Practice Contributed by: Frederik Bruhn, Rasmus Theis Madsen, Robert Jønsson and Tim Krarup Nielsen, HortenDahl Law Firm
Football-Specific Regulations In addition to DIF’s general regulations, DBU intro - duced “Circular No 86” in 2014 to further regulate match-fixing in football and to serve as a supplement to Sections 7 and 27 of DIF’s regulations. It sets out specific obligations for players, coaches and officials regarding the prevention of match-fixing, including mandatory reporting and co-operation with investi - gations. Enforcement and Recent Cases Cases of match-fixing in Danish sports are handled by DIF’s integrity bodies, which have the authority to impose sanctions ranging from fines to lifetime bans from participation in organised sports. Danish sports have not experienced many match-fix - ing scandals. In 2016, the Eastern High Court upheld a sentence of one year’s suspended imprisonment and a fine in Denmark’s first criminal match-fixing case, concerning the manipulation of two football matches in 2010. The Danish Gambling Act has been adopted to protect individuals by ensuring that gambling is provided in a fair, responsible and transparent manner. For example, the provision of gambling services requires a licence to organise games where participation in the games is subject to the payment of a stake. Subject to meeting the conditions, such licence can be granted by the Danish Gambling Authority. Betting is subject to compliance with the Gambling Act in Denmark, but sports governing bodies have adopted strict regulations to prevent conflicts of inter - est and protect the integrity of sports and competi - tions. DIF oversees betting restrictions under its regu - lations, which generally prohibit individuals involved in sports from placing bets that could compromise the integrity and fairness of the competitions. Football-Specific Betting Regulations 1.3 Betting-Related Offences Legal Framework and Regulation In football, DBU Circular No 86 (2014) addresses betting-related concerns in line with UEFA’s integrity requirements. Under these rules, individuals covered by the regulations are prohibited from:
• betting on competitions or tournaments in which they are directly or indirectly involved, including betting on their own team to win; and • abusing insider information by sharing details that could be exploited for betting purposes. Football players and other individuals covered by the regulation are allowed to place bets on foreign leagues, such as the English Premier League, as long as they do not have a direct or indirect connection to the competition. Betting on Danish football matches is also permitted for football players that are not involved in the relevant tournament. Proposed Restrictions on Betting Advertising In December 2025, the Danish government introduced a bill proposing significant amendments to the Danish Gambling Act, aimed at strengthening consumer pro - tection and reducing exposure to betting, particularly in connection with sports. If adopted as expected, the bill will implement measures that form part of a broad political agreement, including extensive restrictions on the marketing of betting services and a ban on gam - bling advertisements as follows: • in connection with live sports broadcasts (from ten minutes before the event starts until ten minutes after it ends); • in public transport; and • within a defined radius of schools and youth edu - cational institutions. Furthermore, the proposal seeks to: • limit the use of influencers and other so-called “authorities” in gambling marketing; • prohibit the appearance of persons under 25 years of age in gambling advertisements; and • ban commission-based remuneration models for affiliates linked to players’ gambling activity. The proposal will also prohibit the display of live betting odds during sports events, including during breaks and within the broadcast itself (eg, on-screen live odds). The proposal does not, however, introduce a general ban on gambling sponsorships on match - day shirts or stadium advertising, such as pitch-side advertising, and there are currently no indications of a
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