It will be a little longer before Denmark’s online gambling market is open for competitive business. The deadline for accepting competition from overseas has been pushed back, giving the state-run monopoly more time as the only legal game in town.

Dansk Spil, the Danish internet gambling monopoly, has long been free from competition, but after the European Commission ruled that their monopoly violates EU rules of free trade within member states, they had to change. Still, they allowed a six-month period to prepare, which was needed to do due diligence, scrutinize applicants and more. Some believe that the delay was simply to give Dansk Spil an advantage over the competition.

Though the online gambling market was set to open to competition in January 2011 – which is less than a month away – it has been pushed back to the summer of 2011. The delay is due in part to a number of complaints about the tax rates proposed by the Danish government. Complaints about the taxes have been lodged with the European Commission.

The proposed law, which might end up being changed if it is not approved by the EU, calls for a 20% tax on the gross amount of money won on all games. In addition, there is an annual licensing fee for each online gambling operator that ranges from €7,000 to €200,000. The licensing fee varies depending on the amount of revenue for the gambling website.

Troels Lund Poulsen, who is the Danish Minister of Taxation, insists that there is nothing rotten in the state of Denmark. He plans to go to the European Commission directly to sort out the problem with the tax rate and ensure that the law and tax rates are in compliance with EU law.

As reported in the Copenhagen Post, The Supreme Court in Denmark has just seized the entire year’s winnings of a man they say made his living playing online poker. The 35-year-old man was forced to fork over the 194,000 kroner (about $28,000) he earned playing online poker to the state.

The decision was made when it was found that the unemployed man has no other means of income and it is illegal for citizens in Denmark to earn one’s entire living from online poker or any other form of gambling. However, the court was “nice” enough to eliminate a 5000 kroner fine from the Eastern High Court where he was originally convicted in November as there was disagreement over online poker being covered by the law.

This is the second recent case to return a similar verdict since June when a man was convicted of organizing poker tournaments for a living. However this verdict was overturned, even though the Supreme Court maintains there are laws against poker tournaments.

Prosecutors are insistent that the decision does not mean that online poker is illegal. Which really sounds like they don’t know what they are talking about to me. “We will decide on a case by case basis whether someone is playing professionally,” said Crown Prosecutor Svend Larsen.

This whole situation begs the question, “Why is it illegal to win money from an online casino, but legal to take money from a guy who got his money from an online casino? Isn’t that sort of like money laundering? Discuss.

Something is profitable in the state of Denmark. So says online gaming company Ladbrokes. The British company will apply for an online operating license in Denmark. The Danish government plans to make an unlimited number of online gambling licenses available for sports betting, casinos, and poker games.

Denmark has high licensing costs that may deter smaller online casinos, who think that the costs of doing business with the Danish would not allow a profit. So is Ladbrokes foolish for pursuing a deal with the Danes? Give thy thoughts no tongue. A Ladbrokes representative stated that the “restrictions and conditions do not look more frightening than in Italy and Spain, which are other territories we have gone into.”

Ladbrokes is eager to join the Danish culture, best known for their blonde hair, funny accents, and almost total lack of laws. Denmark also has tight restrictions and laws on gambling designed to give the government a stranglehold on the industry. Some companies have shied away from the controlling government, but Ladbrokes is still willing to do business with them. Every man has business and desire, Such as it is.

The government currently only allows state-run companies to offer bingo, lottery and scratch cards, a law that Ladbrokes may challenge. The Danish have always held that monopoly, but Ladbrokes is confident they can have the law overturned. All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity.

Though most of Ladbrokes customers are from the UK, they also have a large Nordic base. Forced to leave the UK due to excessive taxes, the company is eager to attract more Scandinavians. A licensing contract with the Danish government would mean more online gamblers playing. And when it comes to online casinos, the play’s the thing.