Denmark's online gaming market will formally open for business from January 1, 2012, after a nine month in-depth investigation by the European Commission has rejected claims that State Aid Rules had been breached due the proposed lower rate of taxation for egaming operators compared to that of land-based rivals.
The overarching positive effect of the liberalisation of the market for the country has been cited as outweighing any “distortions of competition.” With a short but intensive filing process now about to commence for the online gambling community, regulators and legal experts gather in Copenhagen on October 3 as guidance will finally be provided on a raft of complex legal and technical requirements that must be completed before a licence will be granted.
The timing of the forum could not be more pertinent, due to an announcement out yesterday stating that any operators wishing to expand into the Danish market from the beginning of 2012 will need to submit their applications no later than midnight on October 17, 2011.
The Danish Gambling Authority will publicly address the industry for the first time and answer key questions surrounding the application process.
The regulator’s chief advisor, Morten Rønde, said: “The DGA looks forward to finally being able to get into details about all the legal aspects of licensing of online gambling operators and is anticipating a great attendance from industry stakeholders.”
The gathering will focus on key issues such as the technical infrastructure needed to comply, certification streams for gaming and wagering, mutual agreements and the benefits of information sharing and how applications will be handled once received by the Danish Gambling Authority.
