Norway

November 10, 2020

Online Gambling in Norway

Emily Thompson
Written byEmily ThompsonWriter
Researched byPriya PatelResearcher

The circumstance of online gambling in Norway tend s to be much worse in theory than it is in fact. If you just read the regulations, things look grim for the Norwegian players. There are only two approved betting platforms in Norway , both of which have low odds, poor game collection, and minimal functional capabilities.

Online Gambling in Norway

Norwegian gambling regulations are, in fact, is under strict government monopoly. While there is a strictly limited right for private operators to apply for licenses to conduct gambling activities under the Lottery Act, commercial operators are not entitled to apply for a full gaming license from the gaming agency.

The Kingdom of Norway and neighboring Svalbard Archipelago fall under the authority of the Lottery Act, the Gaming Scheme Act and the Totalisator Act. The Acts shall not forbid involvement in unlicensed gambling activities. It is also not an offense for Norwegian people to bet on websites not authorized by the Gaming Authority in Norway.

The Effect of The EU in Norway

Norway also has one of the stringent anti-gambling regulations in Europe. Furthermore, Norway is not a part of the European Union and is thus not vulnerable to much the same tension as its neighbors in Finland and Sweden to loosen their hold on the state-controlled monopoly.

The only two legal betting sites in Norway today are:

To learn about the existing legislative condition, we, therefore, need to look at the bigger picture. For the last century, most methods of gambling have been declared illegal in Norway. Games that are not banned are highly controlled by the state and can only be offered by state-owned corporations. Norsk Tipping and Norsk Riksto exclusive access to most of the land-based and online gambling.

Norsk Riskoto for horse racing

The Totalisator Act of 1927 created the very first licensed horse racing gambling in Norway. The act gave Norsk Risko the unilateral authority to wager horses throughout the country. Norsk Riskoto operates in both offline and online modes to this very day. That would be the sole officially legitimate way to gamble on horses on the internet in Norway.

Norsk Tipping for lotteries, sports betting, poker, keno, and scratch card games

The 1992 Gaming Act granted Norsk Tipping exclusive power throughout Norway's lottery, sports betting, and other games. Afterwards, Norwegian legislators authorized Norsk Tipping the permission to host online gambling for the country's citizens.

The Big Hit: The Banning of Slots

The 1995 Lottery act permitted people to gamble slots for real money, however, at that time, the legislation did not anticipate the vast growth of online gaming. Slots generated more than NOK26 billion in annual revenue by 2004. By contrast, when the Lottery Act was only adopted a decade ago, slots generated barely NOK 200 million in revenue.

Then, the previous Lottery Act only stipulated that nonprofit organizations could offer slot machines. Consequently, the legislation did not say anything whatsoever about private corporations offering slots to certain charitable organisations and earning a percentage of income. When the government caught up with what was happening, the legislators were compelled to enact laws to take power back, specifically on slots.

The first move in 2003 culminated in a legal dispute with the slot firms, which eventually failed, because it was not enacted into Norwegian law. Conversely, a few years later, in 2007, they had their wish by prohibiting slot machines and substituting them with their own variants.

How to Evade the Law without Breaking the Law

Although the prior remarks may have indicated otherwise, it is indeed possible to lawfully gamble in Norway, either at Norsk Tipping or through a licensed overseas platform, if Norwegian gamers are approved. Several well-respected offshore bookmakers, gambling sites and casinos still welcome Norwegian customers today. Lawmakers may term them "illegal" activities, but they operate effectively in complete compliance with applicable rules of where they are headquartered.

The truth of the legal issue in Norway is not as severe as Norsk Riskoto and Tipping would have assumed. The truth is that most people are still gaming at "offshore" gaming sites all the time in Norway, and activity is as strong as always. Hundreds of gambling platform around the world accept the Norwegians.

Whenever you plan to use an overseas site, just make sure their license is valid. Review that they also have Norwegian services, many even process payments in Norwegian Krones and present gaming in Bokmål and Nynorsk and have a strong customer supportive relationship. If you fully understand they are a safe place to play, feel free to legitimately enjoy your online games.

About the author
Emily Thompson
Emily Thompson
About

Emily "VegasMuse" Thompson is a seasoned online casino enthusiast from down under. With a keen eye for details and an inherent knack for strategizing, she has turned her passion for the online casino world into a successful writing career.

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