Norway’s gambling monopoly questioned as Stortinget continue to ban marketing activities for internationally licensed gambling operators

The supreme legislature in Norway, Stortinget, has recently approved amendments aimed at preventing unlicensed operators from advertising online to Norwegian customers. The Norwegian Media Authority will be granted more powers in order to hold up the new legislation. 

Norsk Tipping is the sole licensed operator under the strict monopoly which keeps foreign betting companies off the Norwegian market. This has been a favoured approach by shifting governments in the country over several decades. Lately, much attention has been paid to the current situation in the country after the University of Bergen revealed a 62% increase in problem gambling. The monopoly has been questioned by several companies as well as Norway’s problem gambling association Spillavhengighet Norge, about whether or not it’s the best way to protect players. Spilleavhengighet recently announced that it had put together a working group to investigate the matter further.

According to Maarten Haijer at European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) the current situation is worrying and shows that the monopoly fails to protect players. He continues to say that when players are faced with restricted choices, they look elsewhere to find a better option. This is the reason why many other former monopolies have gone down the path of regulating the gambling market. The full article can be read here.

Competition among online betting companies is fierce, and considering how difficult it is for one country to legislate online activity without resorting to means more often seen in countries of a far less democratic nature, the challenges faced by Norsk Tipping to stay competitive continue to increase. And that should not surprise anyone. Today, Norwegian players have access to more attractive bonuses, better odds and more exciting functions elsewhere. A look at the bookmaker comparison site Betsjekk.com shows several operators that offer online betting in Norway. 

What this leaves us with is a market landscape where the government tries to keep internationally licensed operators out of the country, all while the operators keep offering their services to the Norwegians. A stand-off of sorts. Norsk Bransjeforening for Onlinespill (NBO), with members like Kindred, Betsson, ComeOn and GiG, are loud critics of the current monopoly upheld in Norway. They advocate for a sound and responsible regulation of the market that would make the problem gambling situation much better.