Gambling in Norway is primarily legal; however, there are some things you should know before you join an online casino. With the strict gambling laws, many Norwegians may not know what they need to do to stay within the law while playing their favourite games.Let’s see key points to know about the casino industry.
The government has stated that its strict regulations are in place to help people gamble responsibly. You can see this in the measures all gambling providers in Norway take to prevent problem gambling, avoid financial issues, and stop private companies from making huge profits.
More people are starting to gamble in Norway, and as the number continues to rise, we expect to see more offerings of casinospill. The trend in casinos and sportsbook users is continuously growing, we can for sure foresee that the number of operators and bonuses will increase too.
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With the help of our expert Nina Olsendburg we’ll discuss the most important things you need to know about the gambling industry in Norway. As Nina is experienced and passionate about the igaming industry, she is the perfect candidate to guide us.
Table of Contents
It’s A Monopoly
Different kinds of casinos are available in other countries, with various shapes and sizes competing for people to play with them. But the casino industry in Norway has two options: Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.
Norsk Tipping provides lottery games, sports betting, keno, and other popular casino games, while Norsk Rikstoto provides horse racing services. Both gambling operators are owned by the state and controlled by the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs. They set the rules of play, service times, limits, and more.
No Foreign Businesses
The current gambling laws permit individuals to have a private gambling party, as long as it’s a not-for-profit event. If gamblers want to play their favourite games for real money, they’d have to play with Norsk Tipping.
The state wants to have control over gambling activities without interference from external parties, like foreign businesses. The government has even added measures to restrict foreign companies from getting involved.
Playing Slots
In Norway, the 1995 Lottery Act made it legal for users to play slots for money. However, this law didn’t take into account how much the online gambling industry would grow. Slots games were creating over NOK26 billion in revenue by 2004. When the Lottery Act was passed, this game generated revenue of NOK200 million.
This law stated that charitable organizations could provide slot machines for people to play, but it didn’t mention anything about private companies offering these machines to charities for a profit. When the government found out this was going on, they tried to pass a law to prevent it from continuing.
In 2007, its efforts were successful, resulting in slot machines being banned and replaced with the government’s version. However, this didn’t work out well; people didn’t like the state’s version because they weren’t as user-friendly or look as nice.
Though this law is still in place, and slots are still banned in Norway. However, the law doesn’t account for playing slots online, which is our next point.
Online Gambling
The online gambling laws are strict, but they don’t fully cover all aspects of online gaming. So, for example, it’s legal for Norwegians to play their favourite games at a foreign online casino without problems from the government.
With more people using these foreign sites, the government acknowledges that it needs more effective laws. Especially since there are no land-based casinos in the country, reports show that around 80% of people in Norway play casino games or bet on sports at an online gambling provider.
Norsk Tipping has started offering progressive jackpots and other innovative games to keep players from going to foreign companies. However, we haven’t seen this pay off yet because many people find bigger prize pools and a more extensive game selection online.
Legally Gambling
With the strict gambling laws in Norway, you can still legally gamble at one of the state-run companies or a licensed foreign provider that accepts Norwegian players. To play online, make sure the operator has a valid license, offers Norwegian services, and allows you to play in NOK. Once you’ve decided this is an excellent place to play, you’re free to start playing any game you want.
Though the government can’t stop anyone from playing at an offshore site, you’ll have to declare anything you win and pay taxes on it, as well as be at least 18 years old to play casino games and make sports bets. Also, since foreign companies can’t advertise in Norway, you’ll have to do your research on a casino.
Conclusion
Gambling in Norway isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Whether you decide to play at a state-run operator or go online to a foreign provider, you can find a way to play your favourite games legally. Make sure you do your research to find the best casino for you.
