Norway Cracks Down on Gambling Advertising and Unlicensed Operators

Norway has intensified its efforts against unlicensed gambling, leading to advertising restrictions on TV. Subsequently, state regulator Lottstift directed the Norwegian monopoly gambling operators, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, to curtail their marketing expenditures.

Adhering to the regulator’s order from last August, Norsk Tipping has cut down its advertising expenses by 20%, equivalent to NOK45m (€3.8m). Simultaneously, the horse racing betting entity, Norsk Rikstoto, slashed its spending by 5%, which amounts to NOK3.4m. Lottstift highlighted that such reductions became feasible as unlicensed gambling entities no longer had the privilege to advertise on television, diminishing competition from offshore gambling ventures.

Lottstift’s director, Atle Hamar, mentioned, “As per Norwegian standards, gambling promotions should only serve to enlighten about the available gambling options and channelize societal gambling tendencies towards safe and responsible platforms. We commend both providers for successfully diminishing the marketing intensity, as excessive gambling advertising is detrimental for those grappling with gambling issues.”

In another significant move, the Norwegian government recently proposed implementing DNS blocking against unauthorized gambling websites. This initiative demands internet service providers to use technical barriers to restrict access to specific websites via the domain name system (DNS). Subsequently, users attempting access would be redirected to an informative landing page that clarifies the reason behind the site’s blockade.

This strategic amendment to the Gambling Act, backed by the Ministry of Culture and Equality, received cabinet approval last week. Lubna Jaffery, the Minister for Culture and Equality, stated, “Our primary objective is to shield vulnerable players and their kin from gambling-related issues. Had overseas gambling corporations abided by Norwegian regulations, internet providers wouldn’t face these impositions. Our strategy focuses on regulating entities within our jurisdiction.”