ISFE CEO Simon Little said: “We call on gambling authorities across Europe to follow the example of the Danish Gambling authority to further support efforts to stop illegal practices such as “skin-betting” where third party gambling sites allow consumers to bet and trade on virtual items. Video games businesses do not allow, facilitate, or condone the conversion of virtual items or currencies into money or the use of them outside the game such as within unlicensed third-party gambling sites.
“The video games sector takes its responsibility to consumers, and particularly to children, very seriously and is currently funding education campaigns around Europe to inform parents about responsible gameplay and the dangers of skin-betting and unauthorised trading of virtual goods with third parties so that parents can have informed discussions with their children and encourage enjoyable and appropriate gaming.”[1]
Importantly, every platform on which children can play video games has parental control tools installed, allowing parents to ensure their children play games safely, sensibly and responsibly. These tools allow parents to make choices about the way their children enjoy games, including the ability to block spending or set spending limits, to control the amount of time spent on games and online generally, and to manage the sharing of information with other players. Activating such tools also allows parents to ensure their child does not engage in any illegal activity online https://pegi.info/parental-controls
Twitter: @ISFE_Games
•Skin-betting (or skin gambling) is the practice of using digital items from video games, such as skins (cosmetic alteration of a player’s equipment, weapon, avatar), or virtual currencies to bet/to wager on unauthorised digital marketplaces on the outcome of events such as professional sports games or games of chance with the aim to win real money.
•Protection of minors: In 2003, ISFE established the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system to help parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. It is an independent, not-for profit organisation.
•About ISFE: ISFE ensures the voice of a responsible games ecosystem is heard and understood, that its creative and economic potential is supported and celebrated, and that gamers around the world, who are at the centre of what we do, continue to enjoy great gaming experiences.
•Google translation of Danish Gambling Authority’s Press Release:
https://www.spillemyndigheden.dk/nyheder/spillemyndigheden-blokerer-25-ulovlige-spilhjemmesider
The Gambling Authority blocks 25 illegal gaming websites
On March 25, 2019, the Danish Gambling Authority upheld the City of Copenhagen’s court case in a case of blocking 25 websites offering illegal gambling in Denmark.
The Gambling Authority earlier this year requested that the telecommunications companies block 25 illegal gambling websites. Of the 25 websites, there are 10 websites with traditional gambling offerings aimed at Denmark and 15 skin-betting websites. Common to all the websites is that none of them is allowed to offer gambling services in Denmark.
Birgitte Sand, Director of the Danish Gambling Authority, says: – We use our authority to block websites on an ongoing basis. We do this to protect the gambling providers who are actually authorized to offer games in Denmark. But also to a great extent to protect the players. Here, we especially focus on the pages that offer skin-betting, as they often target children and adolescents under the age of 18.
New search strategy for skin-betting websites
This is the second time that the Gambling Authority goes to court to block skin-betting websites. The first time was in February 2018, when six pages were blocked. The increase from six to 15 is mainly due to the fact that the Gambling Authority has prepared a new search strategy adapted to skin-betting websites. It is often more demanding to find and verify skin-betting websites than traditional game sites, but the new search strategy has already proved effective and should make it even easier to find the illegal skin-betting websites.
We will continue to work purposefully and persistently to find and block the illegal skin-betting websites, although we can observe that these sites, in particular, tend to complicate our work of documenting and blocking, says Birgitte Sand, and elaborates: – But we continue our efforts against illegal gambling and look with great care on the skin-betting pages. Especially, since they often involve children playing computer games that can suddenly change into gambling games.
Therefore, we also look at other methods to get rid of the illegal websites, while at the same time of course we continuously monitor the traditional offer of betting and online casino that is aimed at Denmark without permission.
Satisfaction with the ruling Director Birgitte Sand welcomes the decision of the City Council: – Of course, we are extremely pleased with the order. It emphasizes that we are aiming to stop the websites that offer illegal gambling in Denmark. Lastly, the Danish Gambling Authority was in court and few websites were blocked in February 2018. Here 24 websites were closed, of which six were skin-betting websites.
Websites blocked:
nordicasino.com
orientxpresscasino.com
casinonapoli.com
ramsesgold.com
ph.casino
cashpot-casino.com
cashpotcasino.com
mrjamescasino.com
lafiestacasino.com
1xbet.com
Skinbetting-websites blocked:
csgopolygon.com
csgoempire.com
csgoroll.com
csgorgb.com
csgoatse.com
csgetto.com
csgobig.com
csgo-case.com
csgohunt.com
csgosick.com
skinbet.gg
csgofast.com
d2selector.com
skingames.co
playitems.com
[1] (Belgium) www.jouezmalin.be / www.speelhetslim.be (France ) www.pedagojeux.fr ; (Netherlands ) www.rulethegame.nl ; (United Kingdom) www.askaboutgames.com ; (Sweden) (www.fragaprataspela.se) ; (Poland) www.zapytajogry.pl, (Spain) www.thegoodgamer.es
