Denmark Reopens with New Land-Based Casino Licensing Deadline
Denmark's gambling regulator has reopened the door to new land-based casino operators, giving applicants until November 3, 2026 to bid for a licence that can run for a decade.
The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) said the window is open to all interested parties, from new entrants to existing operators seeking to renew. It matters now because retail casino revenue in Denmark keeps falling while players continue to move to online casinos.
How To Apply Before The November Deadline
Spillemyndigheden confirmed the opening on August 3, 2026. Under section 14 of Consolidated Act No. 1182 of September 22, 2025 on gambling, the regulator can permit the creation and operation of land-based casinos, with each licence granted for up to 10 years at a time.
Applicants must send a full application, with every supporting document, so that it reaches Spillemyndigheden no later than November 3, 2026.
The regulator said any application that misses the deadline will not be considered. Submissions can be made as encrypted digital post through the Bluewhale system or the authority's contact form, or by ordinary mail marked "Ansøgning: Landbaseret kasino".
Each application will then go out for consultation. Spillemyndigheden said it will seek opinions from the relevant local municipality, the local chief of police, the Ministry of Taxation and the Ministry of Business and Industry, with the Danish Maritime Authority consulted where a proposal involves ships in scheduled service.
A Shrinking Retail Casino Market
The reopening lands as the retail sector shrinks. In its annual report Spilmarkedet i tal 2025, the regulator reported that land-based casinos generated gross gambling revenue of DKK378 million in 2025, about $58 million, down from DKK401 million a year earlier.
Land-based casinos made up roughly 3% of a total Danish market worth DKK11.5 billion, itself down about 1% year on year. The figures are set out in the regulator's annual market report.
The online picture is the opposite. Online casino was the single biggest product in Denmark in 2025 at DKK4.309 billion, or 38% of the market, and online channels together produced 73% of all gambling revenue.
What Happens Next
That trend frames both the opportunity and the risk for anyone weighing a bid. A 10-year permit offers a long runway in a stable, closely regulated market, but new operators would be chasing a shrinking pool of retail spend against digital products that keep taking share.
