Is Norway winning its war on unlicensed gambling?
The Norwegian gambling regulator has noted a rise in Norsk Tipping revenue amid a drop in black-market gambling.
Norway.- The Norwegian gambling regulator Lottstift has highlighted a rise in the number of players gambling with the country’s two monopoly operators amid an apparent decline in unlicensed gaming with offshore operators. It credits its enforcement action against illegal offerings.
Player numbers at state-controlled Norsk Tipping rose by 11 per cent in 2024, reaching two million. Norway’s other monopoly gambling operator, Norsk Rikstoto, which traditionally focuses on horse racing betting, saw numbers rise by 5 per cent to 175,000.
Together, the two operators’ combined full-year revenue rose by 19 per cent year-on-year to NOK3.1bn (€262.1m). Meanwhile, the regulator estimated that revenue to the unlicensed market fell by 18 per cent to NOK1.3bn. It estimates that the unlicensed market accounted for a 22–28 per cent market share of “the riskiest online casino-style games” in 2024, down from 35 per cent in 2023.
It suggested that the downturn shows the results of its actions to block access to illegal sites and payment providers and prevent advertising, which meant players had to use the state-approved offerings. In April, the Norwegian regulator announced blocking orders against 57 unlicensed websites. It has also been working with Google and Facebook to monitor and block the advertising of unlicensed offerings.
Lottstift director Tore Bell said: “More and more people are saying that they played Norwegian games the last time they played, and that they play Norwegian games the most.
Lottstift’s apparent success may dent the prospects of any liberalisation of gambling in Norway. A handful of legislators is suggesting that the country should follow Finland and introduce a regulated gambling market, but Norway’s counties have mounted a defence of Norsk Tipping.
Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto to reduce marketing
As we saw in the previous year, Lottstift has responded to the drop in offshore gambling by ordering the monopoly operators Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto to reduce their own marketing. The argument is that with less competition from the unregulated market, the operators do not need to promote their products as heavily.
The regulator said that its enforcement efforts had led to more younger players gambling on “high-risk” casino games with the state-endorsed operators. As a result, it’s recommended that the operators no longer send promotional messages to players aged under 25. It’s also recommended measures to reduce the risk of casino games and boost the visibility of gambling break and self-exclusion features.
Bell said: “The side effect of good channelisation is that the exclusive operators get more players. We note that many in the youngest group of players have the playing habits of experienced players. They play the games with the highest risk.”
A survey found that one in five men aged 18–25 are classified as risky or problem gamblers. The regulator raised concerns that online casino gambling was being normalised among young men due to the influence of streamers and skin betting in video games.
Norsk Tipping introduced reduced loss limits for younger players in January. Players aged 20 and 21 have a maximum monthly loss of NOK3,000 (€250) and those aged 22 to 24 have a limit of NOK5,000.
