Norwegian gambling regulator issues first blocking orders against unlicensed sites
Lotteritilsynet is using DNS blocking to redirect users from illegal gambling websites.
Norway.- The Norwegian gambling regulator, Lotteritilsynet, has ordered the blocking of 57 gambling websites that it has identified as unauthorised. The action, disclosed on April 1, targets platforms managed by 23 companies and marks the first instance of such measures to curb unlicensed gambling activities within the country.
The regulator is using DNS blocking to redirect users from illegal websites to an internet service provider-hosted page. This page clarifies that while accessing such sites is unlawful, individuals attempting to gamble on them are not violating any laws themselves.
Silje Sægrov Amble, a lawyer at Lotteritilsynet, emphasised the importance of blocking illegal websites to mitigate gambling-related harm in Norway. She said: “Blocking illegal websites will help fewer people develop gambling problems. These are the games that have the highest risk. They are designed to get people hooked, and they lose a lot of money in a short time.”
Norway will soon be the last Scandinavian country with a state monopoly over gambling. Only Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto are allowed to offer gambling products, although some opposition politicians, including Tage Pettersen of the Norwegian conservative party, Høyre, are in favour of opening the market.
Lotteritilsynet issued warnings last autumn to nearly 50 companies. Of the approximately 100 websites involved, nearly 40 ceased operations in Norway after being alerted. While Lotteritilsynet has refrained from disclosing the blocked websites’ identities, it confirmed that prominent companies were among those that exited the market.
Amble said the DNS blocking strategy complements other efforts to combat illegal gambling, including eliminating TV advertisements and financial transaction restrictions imposed by Norwegian banks. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to be an illegal gambling company in Norway,” she claimed.
Nevertheless, challenges remain. According to surveys by Sentio, about 50 per cent of Norwegians are unaware of which operators are authorised to offer gambling services. Amble advocates for expanded regulatory authority to enhance market oversight and protect players more effectively. “Players do not know about the risk,” she said. “We believe most people want information that they are entering an illegal game. Therefore, blocking is also an information measure.”
