Danish regulator launches campaign on gambling features in children's games

Campaign highlights gambling mechanics in video games

On Monday, the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) unveiled a new public awareness campaign called “Casino in the Children’s Room” aimed at informing parents about gambling-like features embedded within children’s video games.

The campaign features a short film visually transforming a child’s bedroom into a casino, illustrating how gambling motifs and reward systems are integrated into games targeted at young audiences. The regulator has installed three temporary shopfront façades designed to look like casinos in Bruuns Galleri in Aarhus, Vestergade in Odense, and Købmagergade in Copenhagen, labelled “Casino Kids”.

Anders Dorph, director of the Danish Gambling Authority, stated that it is important to understand the psychological impact of games’ reward systems, not just screen time. “The debate about children and digital media is often about screen time. But it is also important to take an interest in the content of the games and the mechanisms that children encounter when they game,” he said.

Knowledge platform and Swedish research

The Authority is promoting the knowledge platform StyrPåSpillet.dk, which provides information about gaming, gambling features in games, risks of gambling addiction, and advice on conversations with children about gaming.

Last year, a report by the Swedish gambling regulatory (Spelinspektionen) found a link between young adults that participated in gambling via video games while under age and risky gambling behaviours. Of those that purchased loot boxes before the age of 15, 87% displayed risky gambling behaviours as an adult, according to the Swedish report.

Wider regulatory action

In the same month as Denmark’s campaign, the Danish government announced a re-submission of an October 2025 bill that focused on gambling advertisements targeting minors. Key policies in the bill involved not featuring anyone under 25 and a comprehensive prohibition on gambling ads during live sports broadcasts.