Last June, Norway’s Minister of Culture and Gender Equality presented a new Gambling Act, with the main aim of helping the country combat unlicensed gambling.
“With this law we are taking a harder line than before. Why? Because we have had enough,” said Minister Abid Raja when presenting the new law.
The new bill – originally proposed in June 2020 and with the European Commission notified in August, 2020 – also aims to consolidate Norway’s fragmented gambling framework, which currently consists of three laws: the 1995 Lottery Act, the 1992 Gambling Act and the 1927 Totalisator Act. The proposed new bill would combine these three laws into a new regulatory framework – which means merging national oversight of the country’s regulated betting and gaming sector.
This fragmented framework is also currently reflected in the governance of Norway’s monopolies, which are overseen by the Lottery Committee, Ministry of Culture, and Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
This legal reform will strengthen and continue to protect the monopolies of state lottery Norsk Tipping and racing betting operator Norsk Rikstoto – who will continue to hold the exclusive rights to offer high risk and high turnover gambling products to Norwegian consumers. The new law also takes a tough stance against illegal gambling – and unlicensed operators and affiliates will not be permitted to market gambling and operate.
Norway’s monopoly has long been criticised. Last April, the European Gaming and Betting Association general secretary Maarten Haijer said that players are rejecting the state-owned monopoly. This explains why Norway, Haijer said, is losing control of its online gambling market. And why players are seeking entertainment on international betting sites offering greater choice.
Norway’s Progress Party spokesperson on online gaming Himanshu Gulati has also criticised the country’s monopoly, saying: “The government chooses to still bury its head in the sand and pretend that 250,000 Norwegians do not leave billions with foreign gambling companies each year.”
The proposed new law also puts a strong obligation on gambling operators for social responsibility and responsible gambling – this would be introduced through a general ban on credit games, in order to counteract debt issues, as well as accountability measures.
Marketing would also be reduced – with the advertising of gambling to children, and the marketing of gambling to people who have self-excluded themselves from any betting, both becoming a criminal offence. The new legislation also says that marketing “must not go beyond what is necessary to attract players to the legal gaming offers”.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk.