Norwegian Gambling Market 2024

Gambling in Norway has been a legal activity since 1902. It is also the case that online gambling is legal within the country. Everything comes under the regulation of the Gaming Scheme Act. Through this, the entire gambling sector is under the control of the state. There are two state-owned monopolies which are able to conduct games of chance within. They are Norsk Tipping AS and Norsk Risktoto. The latter of these focuses on horse racing betting. The former deals with everything else that is legal within Norway's gambling scene. 

It's possible for companies to receive a charity gambling licence. Yet these only apply to non-profit organisations with social benefits. Norway is not a member of the European Union, so it is not restricted by any EU laws. It is a part of the European Economic Area (EEA), though. Because of such, several other European countries have criticised its gambling monopoly. The privatisation of it is an often-recurring topic of discussion. It remains the case that all Norwegian casino sites come under state ownership, though. 

There aren't any real casinos within Norway, and this has been the case since around 2007. Slot halls do not exist within the country, either. This doesn't mean that you cannot play the best slots as a Norwegian, though. Instead, you will need to visit an establishment that hosts gaming machines. These go by the name of interactive video terminals. These do not include card games, coin pushers, electronic tables or anything similar. They are only template-based interactive terminals.

Gambling in Norway Remains a Challenge

It remains quite a challenge for gambling to take hold in Norway. Even though legal options are available via state-owned sites, it remains limited. The majority of gambling activity in Norway is illegal. Strict laws and stringent penalties are in place in the country to track this. The Norwegian Penal Code outlines various punishments for illegal operators. Norwegian citizens can also receive a prison sentence if they gamble at illegal sites. 

Yet gambling in the country is still a big deal. Estimates put gambling in Norway near the top of all European destinations. Even though other countries accept foreign brands, this makes no difference. Norwegians still love to partake in gambling, even with the heavy restrictions. Statistics from 2018 suggest that the total revenue from licensed venues topped NOK 46.5 billion. That equates to around £4 billion. That shows an increase of 6% from the previous year's figures. 

There is a ban in place on slot machine games, as we all know them. The introduction of the terminals mentioned earlier, which launched in 2009, changed that. Games found on slot machines are accessible through those electronic terminals. Free slot games are also a part of the collection for those who wish to practice. Again though, the government has a monopoly on the terminals. They are available in high-traffic public venues, such as shopping malls or bars. 

The online gambling scene in Norway is much the same. Norsk Risktoto and Norsk Tipping hold a monopoly over it. The state-owned sites from these two operators are quite popular as a result. This does not mean that offshore sites don't hold any appeal to players, though. Players will gravitate to things that they are being restricted from accessing. Thus, offshore casinos and sportsbooks are accessible to Norwegians. The world knows that Norway has a rich and vibrant gambling market. In turn, players in the country know that online sites support them. Thus, some of the biggest online casinos in Europe cater to Norwegians. 

Changes Afoot Since 2021?

In 2021, a plan came to fruition. This would bring all stakeholders together to figure out how to merge the three acts governing gambling. That did give some people a hint that Norway was moving to a more progressive system. Yet the game plan was quite different. Instead, the government said it was streamlining a "common and systematic policy". It said this would govern all gambling forms under one company within the country. 

Within a proposed draft, there were certain areas highlighted. This included preventing problem gambling in Norway and protecting minors. Guidelines for advertising and marketing were also addressed within. A suggestion came about to merge Norsk Risktoto and Norsk Tipping into one and the same. Meanwhile, stricter laws governing gambling were to come into effect. This would see harsher punishments handed out to unlicensed gambling operators. 

2022 has seen the government continue working on the potential changes. Consultation sessions ended on August 5. Now, it is up to the government to collate and analyse all data acquired in that timeframe. A goal is to release new gambling laws in January 2023.