Online poker for Danish players has been tightly regulated for years. However, things are changing, a circumstance we’ll describe in more detail below. Those who live in Denmark, and want to play poker online, will soon have many more options than they currently enjoy.
The market for poker is growing in Denmark, with women becoming increasingly interested in playing the game. As a result, major international poker sites have their sights on establishing a presence in the country. We’ll explain some of the obstacles Denmark poker sites confront in reaching Danish players, including some of the rules that restrict them.
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KickAssPoker.com’s Online Denmark Poker Guide
Online Poker Games In Denmark: Is It Allowed?
Yes and no. If you live in Denmark, you can play online poker. This has been the case for years. However, by law, you are expected to play at Danske Spil, a government-controlled gambling website. Danske Spil is essentially a gambling monopoly in Denmark. Originally, it had only offered a lottery-type game along with other numbers-based games. The site teamed up with PartyPoker a few years ago to expand their gaming coverage.
As noted earlier, online poker games in Denmark are heavily regulated. The country’s government claims a large portion of players’ winnings in taxes. As an example, when Danish player Peter Eastgate won the 2008 WSOP, he was forced to forfeit much of his prize to the government.
We also mentioned that things are slowly changing with regard to Denmark poker sites. A decision was made by the government in 2009 to eliminate the Danske Spil monopoly, allowing online poker rooms from other countries to reach Danish players. The legislation to make this a reality has been postponed as the government attempts to transition from a monopoly-run online poker “industry” to a more open environment.
Rules Restricting Denmark Poker Sites
Much is still unclear regarding what is to be expected of online poker sites in Denmark. At the end of 2010, it was believed that the sites would be taxed at 20 percent. They would also be expected to pay an annual licensing fee of up to €200,000 (in addition to a €36,000 application fee). These details may have since changed.
Also, because the country’s government has maintained such tight control over the market, it was suspected that the industry would operate similar to online poker in Italy and France. In both of these latter countries, poker sites must be exclusive to the country. For example, PokerStars needed to establish PokerStars.it in order to reach Italian players. As it turns out, however, Denmark poker sites online are not required to be exclusive to Danes.
4 Top Denmark Poker Sites Online
The four sites below represent those that are best poised to become the leading Denmark poker rooms online. By the time you read this, the legislation opening the market may have been passed into law, and these sites might already have established presences in the country. We used several criteria in selecting them, including their sign-up bonuses, poker software, game variety, and promotions. We also considered each site’s reputation in the industry. Here are out top 4 recommendations for Denmark poker sites:
PokerStars – PokerStars continues to be the industry darling. Following their launch years ago, they quickly dominated their closest competitors, becoming the largest poker site in the world. Today, they offer an expansive game selection as well as several tournament types, including the biggest online weekly events in the industry. You’ll also find several exciting promotions, such as a 100% match up to $600 on your first deposit. Visit PokerStars.com, and use marketing code “kickasspoker.com” and bonus code “stars600″ to lock it in.
BetOnline – They started in the online casino market in the early 1990s, and have since duplicated their success in the online poker market. BetOnline offers Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud, as well as deepstack tourneys, 6-max turbo events, and $150,000 in monthly guaranteed tournaments. Their player traffic is less than that offered by the industry’s top sites, but they make up for it by attracting plenty of fish. Visit BetOnline.com today in order to grab a 25% matching sign-up bonus up to $900.
Party Poker – One of the charms of playing at Party Poker is that the site has, for many years, focused heavily on reaching new players. This means the player skill level tends to be very low (i.e. there are a lot of fish). You’ll find a large game selection; besides Hold’em and Omaha, you’ll be able to play “Double Hold’em,” Omaha Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. If you enjoy participating in tournaments, you’ll love their SNGs, MTTs, shootouts, bounties, heads-up events, and their $200K Guaranteed Sunday tourney. Visit PartyPoker.com today, and use bonus code “yesyes” to take advantage of a 100% match up to $500.
888 Poker – Consistently ranked in the top five or six poker sites in terms of player traffic, 888Poker.com draws over 1,500 online cash players at a time. They offer Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Seven Card Stud. You’ll find a long list of popular promotions, including their $100K First Depositors’ Challenge, $1,000 Depositors’ Freeroll, and Double or Nothing tournaments. 888Poker.com will also let you set up private tournaments for youself and your friends. In addition, they provide a no-download poker environment as well as a Mac-compatible poker client. Visit 888Poker.com today to claim a 100% match up to $400.
There are currently very few Denmark poker sites online that are as well positioned as the four listed above to attract Danish players. In fact, they may have already established a foothold. Take the time to visit and test drive each of them to determine your favorites.
