Denmark has just published a comprehensive titled The Danish Gambling Authority’s Guidance on the Prevention and Combating of Match-Fixing. Spanning 35 pages, it sets out in meticulous detail what licensed operators are expected to do to stay compliant. From surveillance tools to HR procedures, the message is clear: the cost of ignoring match-fixing just got higher.
What really stands out, though, is the scope of the guidance. “The licence holder must set up its gambling system in a way that enables the licence holder to identify suspicious gambling behaviour,” the guide states. Detection is no longer optional; it has to be structural.
Operators are no longer just facilitators of wagering—they are now expected to function as integrity watchdogs and data monitors, with active obligations to report, investigate, and restructure.
Even Greenland isn’t exempt. A dedicated section outlines how betting services there must also apply risk-based controls to reduce manipulation.
Beyond risk, toward accountability
Operators are now responsible for proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks before they become legal liabilities. The DGA demands that operators complete a full-spectrum risk assessment including “players, betting offers, stakes, payment solutions, delivery channels and conflicts of interest”.
And not just once.
“The risk assessment must be updated at least once a year,” the guidance mandates, noting that any significant changes in business model or external risk conditions must trigger a reassessment.
This forces companies to treat risk not as a periodic audit item but as a living part of their operations.
No bets on kids, no bets from insiders
Some rules are unequivocal: “It is not permitted to offer betting on an event that is reserved for persons under the age of 18”. Youth leagues (like U15 or U17) are off-limits, and even borderline categories like U18 are flagged.
Operators are also barred from taking bets from those who set odds or hold insider roles. That includes executive board members, odds compilers, and even their close relatives.
“The licence holder shall ensure that persons who can influence the determination of the odds do not place bets,” the guide warns.
And if odds-setting is outsourced? Operators are still responsible for ensuring suppliers are clean.
Mandatory surveillance and the right to withhold winnings
The DGA wants systems that can detect coordinated behaviour, suspicious account activity, and irregular odds movement. And once suspicion is raised, operators must act immediately.
“If the licence holder is aware of or has reasonable cause to suspect that a bet has been manipulated… the licence holder shall refuse to accept stakes,” the guide states.
Even more striking: operators are allowed—sometimes required—to withhold winnings during investigations. If they can’t rule out the possibility that the player had insider knowledge, the payout doesn’t happen.
Training, whistleblowers, and internal controls
The DGA’s match-fixing framework doesn’t stop at tech: it extends to culture. Operators must implement whistleblower programmes that allow anonymous reporting, independent of day-to-day management.
“It must be possible to report anonymously,” the guidance affirms, stressing autonomy, confidentiality, and legal consequences for violations.
There’s also a demand for tailored training across employee groups—from odds compilers to betting shop clerks—with the training content tied directly to the company’s risk profile.
The era of passive compliance is over
Operators are now at the frontline of defending sports integrity and must prove, continuously, that they deserve to hold a license.
This is not business as usual. Denmark’s regulatory regime is exporting a clear message to the global gaming industry: if you take bets, you also take responsibility.
