Authorities restrict access to 98 gambling domains as Copenhagen steps up action against offshore operators
Denmark has expanded its campaign against unlicensed gambling websites, blocking access to 98 domains in one of its latest enforcement actions. Among the websites affected is prediction market platform Polymarket.
The Danish Gambling Authority, Spillemyndigheden, secured a court order covering the domains before Danish internet providers implemented the restrictions nationwide on 6 August.
The government disclosed details of the action on 19 August, bringing renewed attention to Denmark’s increasingly firm approach towards gambling services operating without a local licence.
Court order leads to nationwide DNS restrictions
The blocking measure was approved by the Frederiksberg court on 8 July following proceedings initiated by Spillemyndigheden.
Rather than targeting individual users, the enforcement action works at ISP level. Danish internet users attempting to access any of the listed domains are redirected to a message stating that the website they are trying to visit is illegal.
The order applies to all 98 domains included in the authority’s list, which was published alongside the government’s announcement.
Traditional gambling sites make up most of the list
Polymarket is one of the more notable names included in the action, but the vast majority of the blocked domains belong to conventional online gambling operators.
Several companies appear multiple times through different domains. Leon has eight entries on the list, while Ice Casino accounts for six. Everygame is represented by five domains covering different parts of its online offering.
The Danish authorities have also blocked domains associated with 22Bet targeting Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda.
Other names appearing in the decision include Cbet, Instant Casino, iWild Casino, Drip Casino, Mr Bet, RocketPlay, SkyCrown, Velobet and a Belgian domain operated by Napoleon Casino.
Polymarket is listed separately as the 97th domain.
How Denmark determines whether a site targets local players
The Danish regulatory framework does not only focus on where a gambling company is incorporated. Operators can fall under the country’s licensing requirements if their services are directed at Danish consumers.
Indicators can include the use of the Danish language or currency, payment methods available specifically in Denmark, Danish-language customer support and certain connections to local users through platforms such as Steam.
The type of gambling offered can also be relevant. Products designed around Danish competitions, including betting markets covering lower domestic leagues, may indicate that an operator is actively targeting the Danish market.
Spillemyndigheden did not reveal which specific indicators were applied to each website in the latest blocking case.
Government turns focus to prediction markets
The presence of Polymarket has given the latest enforcement action a wider significance than a standard crackdown on offshore casinos and sportsbooks.
Taxation and Economic Growth Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt specifically criticised prediction markets involving events such as wars and deaths.
The minister argued that businesses seeking to generate revenue from Danish consumers must comply with the same rules as licensed operators, regardless of the nature of their platform.
His comments underline the Danish government’s view that prediction-based products can fall within the wider gambling regulatory debate when users are able to stake money on the outcome of real-world events.
Polymarket pushes back against the decision
Polymarket has disputed the Danish authorities’ position and is expected to pursue legal avenues against the restriction.
In comments to Danish broadcaster DR, the company said it was disappointed by the block and maintained that it does not hold positions in the markets offered on its platform or financially benefit from the outcome of individual contracts.
The dispute mirrors developments in France, where regulators ordered ISPs to block Polymarket in July.
Polymarket has already indicated that it intends to challenge the French restriction in court, meaning the company is now facing regulatory pressure in multiple European markets.
Denmark’s blocking strategy is becoming routine
The latest case is not an isolated action by Danish regulators.
Spillemyndigheden has been taking cases involving unlicensed gambling websites to court twice a year since 2024, using blocking orders as one of its main tools for restricting access to offshore operators.
The scale of the enforcement has increased considerably. The regulator reported that 334 websites were blocked through court orders in Denmark during 2025.
With Polymarket now among the domains targeted, the latest action could also signal a broader interpretation of what constitutes unlicensed gambling in Denmark, particularly as prediction markets continue to attract regulatory scrutiny across Europe.