Spillemyndigheden launches campaign on gambling-like mechanics in video games

Denmark's Spillemyndigheden launched a campaign on 26 October 2026 to raise awareness of gambling-like mechanics in video games, the regulator announced. The campaign is called "Casino in the Children's Room" (Kasino på børneværelset) and is intended to encourage parents to discuss games of chance with their children and to inform them about the risks of gambling.

According to the regulator, the campaign draws attention to mechanics that resemble gambling, such as loot boxes and gacha mechanics. Spillemyndigheden also pointed out that certain games may contain gambling-like features even when no real money is paid. A new television advert produced for the campaign shows a father walking into his child's room and discovering it has become a casino full of gambling machines. Promotion will additionally run on social media, and three storefronts have been given a "Casino Kids" banner.

Parents and educators are pointed toward the StyrPåSpillet.dk platform. Per the regulator, that platform holds extensive material on gambling elements found in video games and on the potential addiction they can cause. It also offers resources for parents and educators, with advice on how to bring up the topic when speaking with children and young people.

Anders Dorph, director of Spillemyndigheden, said that understanding the content of games is as important as managing children's screen time. "The debate regarding children and digital media often centers on screen time. However, it is equally important to take an interest in the content of the games and the mechanisms children encounter while gaming," Dorph said.

Spillemyndigheden described video games as a vast industry that millions of children and adults enjoy without harm. Even so, the regulator added, as the video gaming sector has evolved, certain mechanics resembling gambling have been taken up.