Once in a while we get questions about poker from readers who live in Denmark but do not speak so much Danish.
And since the rules regarding online poker in Denmark are a bit different from other countries have we decided to add a page for our non-Danish speaking readers in English.
In short: To play online poker in Denmark is legal, easy and you do not have to pay tax of your winnings. At least as long as you play with one of the sites in the toplist below as they have all acquired a license to offer poker (and online casino) in Denmark.
If you already have an account at a poker site and have moved to Denmark do you need to create a new account with the local site. So fx if you have played on PokerStars before should you create an account with PokerStars.dk when in Denmark.
Click on the links in our toplist below to get to the local Danish versions of the sites and read more about playing online poker in Denmark below.
The Danish gambling market is regulated by the Danish Gambling Authories (Spillemyndigheden) which is an independent agency under the Danish Ministry of Taxation. You can see the logo of DGA on all the sites which have a license in Denmark.
In 2012 the Danish gambling legislation was changed in accordance with EU law so it was now possible for non-Danish gaming companies to offer their services in Denmark.
Most of the major online poker sites acquired a license to offer poker in Denmark so the choice of sites is actually quite big. The games and campaigns are pretty much the same is it would be anywhere else in the world so you are unlikely to experience much difference from what you are used to.
Probably the biggest difference for you would be that you need to use NemID when logging in from your computer. Also, you need in most cases to use a special .dk version of the software so you cannot use the same poker client what you have used in your previous home country.
Below here are a few questions and answers you might find useful before you sign up for a poker site in Denmark.
Should I pay tax from my online poker winnings?
No, you should not worry about tax when you play online poker on a Danish licensed site. The site is paying tax to the Danish state based on the gross gaming revenue (the profit after all winnings are paid), so tax is already paid when you ask for a payout.
Is the offer in the online poker software the same in Denmark as in the rest of the world?
Yes, pretty much. The Danish market is not ring-fenced as in fx. France, Italy and Spain, so you will be playing against players from all over the world. This means you can play in all the major online tournaments, cash games etc.
For some sites the offer of games is somewhat smaller, mainly due to technical reasons. It can also be that there are missing some satellites to live tournaments or less freerolls.
What should I look out for when creating an account with a poker site with a Danish license?
In order to register with a Danish poker site you need to have a Danish CPR number. This number needs to be stated when registering. Make sure to write your personal information and address correctly, otherwise your account might get closed if the details are not matching with the information connected to your CPR number.
Within the first 30 days after creating your account you need to have been logged in at least once using your NemID. If not, will your account be closed automatically after 30 days and your deposit will be refunded.
You can play online poker in Denmark just like Gus Hansen!
When should I use NemID for poker online?
When the new gambling legislation was introduced in Denmark it was decided that all players should use NemID when logging in to a gambling site. NemID was already being used to log in to net banking and public services such as tax.
NemID should always be used when you log in from a computer. Currently, it is not possible to log in with NemID when using a tablet or mobile but this should also become mandatory in the future. When using a tablet or mobile you need to log in by using your username and password.
In order to get NemID you need to have a CPR number in Denmark.
Do I need to inform the online poker site that I have moved to Denmark?
You can of course do that but in our experience will they normally just tell you to create a new account in Denmark. Your old account does not need to be transferred to a new system.
If you should at one point move away from Denmark (or go on holiday) can you use your old account again.
Can I get the sign up bonus again when creating a new account in Denmark?
In our experience is this actually possible. We have tried moving in and out of Denmark a couple of times and were able to get the sign up bonus again in one case (Unibet) but not in another case (PokerStars).
We recommend that you sign up via the links in our toplist above but we cannot guarantee that you can get the sign up bonus again.
What if I want to play on a poker site which is not licensed in Denmark?
Most sites which chose not to acquire a license for Denmark do not take Danish-based customers due to the legislation.
If you should be able to find one should you know that it is not illegal for you to play here, but it is illegal for the site to accept you as a customer. So there may be a risk that your account will be closed in the future. Please also note that your winnings will be subject to taxation if the site is based outside the EU.
Are the campaigns and bonus offers for online poker the same in Denmark?
Almost. Some bonuses are in some cases a bit smaller and the requirements for clearing them may be a bit more difficult, but generally are the campaigns and bonuses the same as in the rest of the world.
If you have any further questions about playing online poker in Denmark are you welcome to contact us on [email protected]
