Spillemyndigheden launches campaign on gambling elements in children’s games

Denmark's Spillemyndigheden launched a campaign on 26 October aimed at raising parents' awareness of gambling-like mechanisms in the games their children play. The campaign, titled "Casino in the children's room", includes a film, decorated shopfronts in three cities and advertising placements, according to the regulator.

The regulator said many children and young people game as part of their everyday lives, and that several games contain mechanisms that can resemble gambling. As part of the campaign it points to the knowledge platform StyrPåSpillet.dk, where parents and professionals can find information on gaming, gambling elements and gambling addiction, along with advice on how to talk with children and young people about the subject.

The campaign film shows a children's room being transformed into a casino. Three shopfronts have been decorated under the title "Casino Kids" in Aarhus at Bruuns Galleri, in Odense at Vestergade and in Copenhagen at Købmagergade. The facades resemble a large advertisement announcing that Casino Kids is opening, which the regulator said is not the case; the aim is to draw attention to the effort and to gambling elements in gaming.

Director Anders Dorph said the debate about children and digital media often concerns screen time, but that the content of the games and the mechanisms children encounter when gaming also matter. The campaign is being shown on Meta, YouTube, TV2 Play and Folkeskolen.dk.