Affiliate marketing in Denmark: rules and L 37

Key points

Danish licence only: advertising gambling operators without a Danish licence is a criminal offence for anyone, affiliates included (Gambling Act, section 59(5)(4)).
Mandatory information: every ad must clearly state the age limit, the Danish Gambling Authority's helpline StopSpillet and self-exclusion through ROFUS.
Bonus rules: value of at most DKK 1,000, wagering of at most 10x deposit plus bonus, at least 60 days, and all terms shown right next to the offer.
Coming in 2027: bill L 37 (Spilpakke 1) would ban revenue share, ban marketing with "authorities" such as influencers, and make affiliates criminally liable from 1 July 2027.

Denmark has one of the most mature regulated online gambling markets in Europe. The Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) licenses domestic and international operators side by side, which gives affiliates a large pool of brands to work with – but also a detailed set of marketing rules that apply to affiliates as well as to the operators they promote.

Disclosure: iGaming Explorer is an affiliate publisher with Danish-language sites and earns commission from licensed operators. The proposed revenue share ban described below would affect our own business.

This guide explains the rules in force today and the changes proposed in bill L 37, as of October 2026. It is based on the consolidated Gambling Act, the executive order on online casino and the Gambling Authority's current guidance. It is a practical overview, not legal advice.

How affiliate deals work in Denmark

As anywhere else, Danish affiliates refer players to an operator's affiliate programme and are paid per referred player. What makes Denmark different is that the law is starting to decide which payment models are allowed:

Model	How it pays	Status in Denmark
Revenue share	A share of the operator's net revenue from your players	Allowed today – proposed ban from 1 July 2027 (L 37)
CPA	A fixed amount per new depositing player	Allowed – does not appear to be covered by L 37 as long as the amount does not depend on player turnover
Hybrid	CPA plus revenue share	The revenue share part would be hit by L 37
Fixed fee / listing fee	A flat fee for placement or exposure	Allowed

To see which programmes actually carry Danish-licensed brands, use our overview of Danish iGaming affiliate programmes, or read our reviews of 2RBO Affiliates (Betinia, CampoBet), QuickPartners (CasinoMoto, QuickCasino) and ComeOn Connect. For the basics of commission models and tracking, see iGaming affiliate marketing explained.

Rule one: promote Danish-licensed operators only

Under section 59(5)(4) of the Gambling Act, anyone who advertises gambling operators that do not hold a Danish licence can be fined. The provision is not limited to operators, so it covers affiliates, media and influencers. Facilitating participation in unlicensed gambling is a separate offence (section 59(2)).

Before you sign with a programme, look the brand up in Spillemyndigheden's public register of licensed operators. The register lists each licence holder with its domains – for example, one Malta-based company can hold the licence for several Danish brands. A brand that appears on an international programme's list is not necessarily licensed in Denmark.

What Danish gambling ads must and must not do

Section 36 of the Gambling Act sets the core standards. Marketing of gambling:

must present the chance of winning correctly and in a balanced way,
must present gambling as entertainment,
must not, in its message or choice of media, target children and young people under 18,
must not use well-known people to falsely suggest that gambling contributed to their success, and
must not suggest that gambling solves financial problems or brings social acceptance.

The Danish Marketing Practices Act applies on top, including the rule that advertising must be recognisable as advertising. On Danish-language pages, affiliate content is typically labelled "Reklame".

Mandatory information in every ad

Section 28 of the executive order on online casino requires marketing to state clearly:

the age limit (18 – a few operators set a higher limit, e.g. 21),
the Gambling Authority's helpline for responsible gambling, StopSpillet, and
the option of self-exclusion in ROFUS, the national self-exclusion register.

The Authority's guidance (version 3.0, July 2025) adds a detail that trips up many international affiliates: StopSpillet's phone number on its own is not enough. The ad must make clear that it is the Authority's helpline, for example "Hjælpelinje: StopSpillet" or StopSpillet's logo. The guidance also confirms that affiliates may refer to StopSpillet and ROFUS. On very small formats – SMS, push notifications, radio, Google Ads – not everything may fit, which is assessed case by case.

The Gambling Authority's licence mark

Operators must use Spillemyndigheden's licence mark in their marketing, but only the licence holder may use it. When an operator markets through a third-party platform such as an affiliate site, the mark and the mandatory information must appear there, and it must be clear who holds the licence. An affiliate site must never give the impression that it is itself licensed.

Bonus and promotion rules

Bonuses are "promotional measures" under section 29 of the executive order on online casino:

Rule	Requirement
Terms	All terms clearly shown in direct connection with the offer
Maximum value	DKK 1,000 per promotional measure
Deposit requirement	Must equal 100% of the bonus value
Wagering	At most 10x deposit plus bonus
Winnings	No wagering on winnings from a bonus, e.g. free spins
Worked example	Required whenever there is a wagering requirement
Game contribution	Eligible games must count 100%
Time limit	At least 60 days

A compliant example: deposit DKK 1,000 and receive DKK 1,000 bonus with 10x wagering. The requirement is 10 x DKK 2,000 = DKK 20,000, to be met within at least 60 days. Offers above these limits are a sign that a brand is not licensed in Denmark.

Operators must also avoid sending marketing to players who have excluded themselves (section 27). If you run email or SMS lists, most Danish affiliate agreements require opt-in, an unsubscribe option and removal of self-excluded people – and many ban direct marketing unless agreed separately.

What L 37 (Spilpakke 1) would change

Bill L 37 was tabled in the Danish parliament on 7 October 2026 to implement the political agreement known as Spilpakke 1. It re-tables bill L 127, which lapsed at the spring 2026 election. The bill has not been adopted and can still change. If it passes as tabled, the new marketing rules take effect on 1 July 2027. Our full analysis of L 37 and the revenue share ban covers the detail and compares Denmark with the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Massachusetts. The points that matter most to affiliates:

Proposal	What it means for affiliates	Proposed date
Ban on turnover-based pay (new section 36(3))	Payment based on the player's turnover, including wins or losses, is banned – existing contracts included, for activity after the date	1 July 2027
No "authorities"	Celebrities, athletes and anyone with more than 10,000 followers or 100,000 views count as authorities and may not appear in gambling marketing	1 July 2027
No under-25s	Including AI-generated people who look younger	1 July 2027
Liability for anyone	Breaches of the marketing rules can be punished for "any natural or legal person" – explicitly to reach affiliates and influencers	1 July 2027
Site blocking	The Authority can have sites blocked that, as a whole, market unlicensed gambling	1 January 2027
New fine model	Fines from DKK 10,000 to DKK 3 million, scaled by gross gaming revenue	1 January 2027
No free spins or free bets as welcome offers	Planned by executive order, with no date yet	Not set

The bill also bans gambling ads from 10 minutes before to 10 minutes after live sport broadcasts, on public transport and within 200 metres of schools. In the 2025–26 consultation, DI, Better Collective, Spillebranchen and several affiliates opposed the revenue share ban, mainly because it reaches into existing contracts; the Ministry of Taxation kept it. The bill's notes give per-visitor payment as an example of an allowed model, and a fixed fee per new customer appears to fall outside the ban as long as it is not calculated from player turnover – but that is open to interpretation.

Checklist for affiliates targeting Denmark

Work only with brands listed in Spillemyndigheden's register.
Show the age limit, "Hjælpelinje: StopSpillet" and ROFUS in every ad – not just a phone number.
Show bonus terms and a worked example right next to each offer.
Never use the licence mark as your own or imply that your site is licensed.
Avoid content and channels that appeal to under-18s, and label advertising clearly.
Review your revenue share deals now and negotiate CPA or other fixed models before 1 July 2027 if L 37 passes.
Plan for the end of influencer and celebrity marketing aimed at Denmark.

Sources

FAQ6 questions

Can affiliates promote casinos without a Danish licence to Danish players?

No. Advertising operators without a Danish licence is an offence for anyone under section 59(5)(4) of the Gambling Act, and bill L 37 would also let the Gambling Authority have such sites blocked.

What must a Danish gambling ad include?

The age limit, the Gambling Authority's helpline StopSpillet and the option to self-exclude in ROFUS. StopSpillet's phone number alone is not enough, and bonus terms must be shown right next to the offer.

What are the bonus limits in Denmark?

A bonus may be worth at most DKK 1,000, wagering may be at most 10x deposit plus bonus, players must have at least 60 days, and winnings from a bonus may not carry wagering.

Will revenue share be banned in Denmark?

Bill L 37 proposes to ban payment based on player turnover, including wins or losses, from 1 July 2027, covering existing contracts too. The bill has not been adopted yet.

Is CPA still allowed under L 37?

The bill notes name per-visitor payment as allowed. A fixed fee per new customer appears to fall outside the ban as long as it is not calculated from player turnover, but this is open to interpretation.

Can affiliates be punished under Danish gambling law?

Yes. Anyone can already be fined for advertising unlicensed gambling, and L 37 would make any natural or legal person liable for breaching the marketing rules, explicitly including affiliates and influencers.

Gambling should only ever be done with money you can afford to lose, and only if you are 18 or over. In Denmark, StopSpillet offers free, anonymous help on +45 70 22 28 25, and players can self-exclude from all licensed operators through ROFUS. Read more in our responsible gambling section.