Norwegian regulator gives €3m to voluntary groups

Lotteritilsynet is running a “crisis fund” to help non-profits during the pandemic.

Norway.- The Norwegian lottery and gambling inspectorate, Lotteritilsynet, says it has given NOK30million (€3million) to voluntary groups to help face the impact of Covid-19. 

The regulator created a crisis fund during the pandemic to assist government relief programmes and offer direct funding to non-profits to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on their work serving vulnerable people.

The fund is aimed at helping to prevent the interruption to voluntary services due to a drop in operating income during the pandemic.

Lotteritilsynet Director-General, Gunn Merete Paulsen, said the regulator had received more than 400 applications to the fund, of which 379 had been granted funding.

He said the funds would help support more than 1,100 community projects and social initiatives. Lotteritilsynet has begun taking applications for a second round of relief support to be assigned on September 15.

He said: “We are planning batch payments as the applications are received so that the organisations that apply receive the money as soon as possible.”

See here for Focus Gaming News’ exclusive interview with Atle Hamar, the General Director of The Norwegian Gaming Authority.