Danish government wants to ban betting ads during sports broadcasts
Viewers of sports broadcasts in Denmark may soon be able to watch a football match or tennis tournament without being bombarded by betting ads after the country’s tax minister proposed new rules on the area.
Tax minister Jeppe Bruus wants to ban betting commercials for 15 minutes before and after sports broadcasts on television, newspaper Jyllands-Posten reports.
“The most important thing is that we stop the mixing together of betting advertisements and sport on television. A football match is covered in adverts before, during and after. That must be forbidden,” Bruus told the newspaper.
A tax ministry report, published earlier this year, showed that just under 480,000 people aged between 18 and 79 in Denmark experience gambling problems in 2021. The number is twice as high as in 2016.
During the same period, the number of betting advertisements has increased, according to an analysis carried out by company Wilke on behalf of Jyllands-Posten. The number of betting ads has increased by 165 percent over the last 10 years, the newspaper reported earlier this month.
The same analysis also concluded that just under 8 in 10 people in Denmark think gambling should be banned.
In earlier comments to newspaper Politiken, the tax spokesperson with the opposition Liberal party, Louise Schack, appeared hesitant to back a ban on betting ads during sports broadcasts.
“Without adverts the black market will grow and you put the white market and consumer protection at risk. You should not use tools that have no documented effect. I therefore want to see resources that work,” Schack told Politiken.
The Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti, SF), an ally of the government in parliament, said it was in support of the measure and told Jyllands-Posten it was a “step in the right direction”.
“But I don’t think this is anywhere near enough and I agree with the 77 percent of Danes who support a total ban,” SF’s tax spokesperson Carl Valentin said in reference to the Jyllands-Posten survey.
Bruus has invited all of parliament’s parties to initial discussions on the proposal on September 7th.
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Tax minister Jeppe Bruus wants to ban betting commercials for 15 minutes before and after sports broadcasts on television, newspaper Jyllands-Posten reports.
“The most important thing is that we stop the mixing together of betting advertisements and sport on television. A football match is covered in adverts before, during and after. That must be forbidden,” Bruus told the newspaper.
A tax ministry report, published earlier this year, showed that just under 480,000 people aged between 18 and 79 in Denmark experience gambling problems in 2021. The number is twice as high as in 2016.
During the same period, the number of betting advertisements has increased, according to an analysis carried out by company Wilke on behalf of Jyllands-Posten. The number of betting ads has increased by 165 percent over the last 10 years, the newspaper reported earlier this month.
The same analysis also concluded that just under 8 in 10 people in Denmark think gambling should be banned.
In earlier comments to newspaper Politiken, the tax spokesperson with the opposition Liberal party, Louise Schack, appeared hesitant to back a ban on betting ads during sports broadcasts.
“Without adverts the black market will grow and you put the white market and consumer protection at risk. You should not use tools that have no documented effect. I therefore want to see resources that work,” Schack told Politiken.
The Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti, SF), an ally of the government in parliament, said it was in support of the measure and told Jyllands-Posten it was a “step in the right direction”.
“But I don’t think this is anywhere near enough and I agree with the 77 percent of Danes who support a total ban,” SF’s tax spokesperson Carl Valentin said in reference to the Jyllands-Posten survey.
Bruus has invited all of parliament’s parties to initial discussions on the proposal on September 7th.
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