Norway’s curious recycling lottery gets nine-year licence extension
The successful Pantelotteriet recycling lottery initiative has caused some controversy since minors can participate.
Norway.- The Norwegian gambling regulator Lotteritilsynet has renewed the licence for Pantelotteriet, the lottery linked to the country’s bottle-deposit recycling scheme. The regulator has granted a new nine-year licence beginning March 1, 2026 and running until February 2035.
The regulator’s decision maintains a rare exception to Norway’s gambling rules as minors will still be allowed to take part in Pantelotteriet, despite the usual minimum gambling age of 18.
The recycling lottery has been operated in Norway since 2008. It’s operated by Norsk Pantelotteri AS, a company jointly owned by the Olav Thon Group and the Norwegian Red Cross. The latter is the main beneficiary of funds raised.
Pantelotteriet operates within what’s termed the “pant” deposit system. Consumers pay a small surcharge when purchasing beverages in plastic bottles or aluminium cans. If they later return the bottles or cans at reverse-vending machines in shops, they can either reclaim their deposit or convert it into lottery entries.
Each container generates a refundable credit that can be exchanged for lottery tickets worth about NOK0.50 (€0.05). Unlike with draw-based lotteries, results are printed instantly, with prizes reaching up to NOK1m ($94,000).
Regulators justify the exception for minors by noting that players are reallocating recycling refunds rather than wagering personal funds, and that the lottery combines charitable fundraising with environmental incentives. The system has led to high return rates for packaging, often exceeding 90 per cent.
Critics, however, argue that the format still exposes children to chance-based reward systems similar to gambling. A monopoly framework strictly limits most other gambling in Norway to state-controlled Norsk Tipping and the horseracing betting operator Norsk Rikstoto. Authorities have cracked down on offshore promotions and influencer advertising.
