Danish students see gambling as entertainment after presentations

The Danish Gambling Authority's free classroom presentations appear to have increased young people's knowledge about gambling. A new report reveals this result. The presentations, held between September 2024 and March 2025, explained the mechanics and structure of gambling games. Researchers examined 1,433 survey responses collected before the presentations and 534 responses collected three to six weeks afterwards. Most of the students were aged 16 to 20.

After the presentations, students tended to describe their reason for gambling as entertainment rather than as a way to make money. According to the report's authors, this shift is consistent with the core message of the presentations, which is that gambling is a form of entertainment product and not a tool for earning money.

Awareness of what gambling includes also grew. In particular, female participants said they had not known in advance that scratch cards, including advent calendar cards, could count as gambling. The share of women who realised they had previously tried gambling rose from 19% to 48%. The people who prepared the report stressed that this reflects better recognition of past behaviour, and does not mean that more students had started gambling.

Among male participants, the share who said they knew 'a lot' or 'a great deal' about what the licence mark means rose from 39% to 61%. More than three quarters of students agreed with key messages such as that games pay back less than 100% and that making a financial profit from gambling over the long term is mathematically difficult. Around 69% of participants believe they are in control of how much they spend.

Anders Dorph, Director of the Danish Gambling Authority, said it is important to give young people a 'nuanced perspective' on gambling and game mechanics.