Danish Gambling Authority Highlights FATF’s Latest High-Risk Jurisdiction Updates

The Danish Gambling Authority has issued a notice regarding the most recent updates to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) lists of high-risk jurisdictions. These updates are of significant importance to gambling operators, who are required to take FATF’s classifications into account when conducting risk assessments for their players.

FATF maintains two separate lists: the Grey List, which consists of jurisdictions that are under increased monitoring due to deficiencies in anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) frameworks, and the Black List, which includes jurisdictions that require enhanced countermeasures.

With the latest update, the Grey List has been expanded to include Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Croatia, DR Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Mali, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Yemen. Meanwhile, the Black List remains unchanged, continuing to feature North Korea, Iran, and Myanmar.

This update follows a previous revision in November 2024, during which Lebanon was added to the Grey List. While the overall number of high-risk jurisdictions has remained relatively stable, the continued inclusion of multiple countries underscores persistent concerns regarding compliance with financial crime regulations. Notably, the Philippines has now been removed from the Grey List, reflecting the country’s progress in aligning with FATF’s regulatory expectations.

Under Denmark’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Act, gambling operators are required to perform Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (EDD) when a player is assessed as posing a high risk of involvement in financial crime. FATF’s lists serve as a crucial reference point in this process. However, operators are only obligated to conduct EDD when a jurisdiction appears on the EU’s High-Risk Third Country list, as specified in Section 17(2) of the AML Act.

The Danish Gambling Authority’s notice emphasizes that the updated FATF lists will continue to serve as an important resource for operators to strengthen consumer protection and ensure regulatory compliance.

By fLEXI tEAM