Norwegian Gambling Regulator Renews Order for Kindred to Cease Targeting the Country

Kindred’s Ongoing Battle Against Norway’s Monopoly Gambling System Ends in Legal Victory for Lottstift.

Norway’s gambling regulator, Lottstift, has reiterated its call for Kindred to cease its operations in the Norwegian market indefinitely. This comes after Lottstift secured a significant legal victory in its dispute against Trannel International, a subsidiary of the Swedish gambling operator.

The Borgarting Court of Appeal upheld Lottstift’s ruling, affirming that Trannel’s brands, including Unibet, Mariacasino, Storspiller, and Bingo.com, had illegally targeted Norwegian players by offering online gambling services without a proper license. In Norway, gambling is exclusively permitted under a state-controlled monopoly held by Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.

Lottstift considers the recent verdict to be the resolution of its five-year legal battle with Kindred and a validation of its firm stance against unlicensed offshore gambling. The court’s decision reinforces the expectation that Trannel must completely withdraw from the Norwegian market, signifying a pivotal moment in the country’s crackdown on illicit gambling activities.

Director Atle Hamar of Lottstift expressed confidence in their efforts to eliminate illegal operators from the Norwegian market, emphasizing that Trannel’s lack of support on all fronts demonstrates the effectiveness of their work.

Hamar further stated,

“The verdict confirms the correctness of the Lotteries and Foundations Authority’s decision to halt the illicit gambling offering. We now anticipate complete withdrawal of the company from the Norwegian market.”

Norwegian Regulator Lottstift Demands Kindred’s Permanent Exit from Market

In addition to ordering Kindred to cover the state’s legal expenses, Lottstift is likely to reimpose daily fines of €100,000 on Kindred if it resumes targeting the Norwegian market. During the appeal process, Kindred had temporarily removed Norwegian language content from its platform as a precautionary measure.

Kindred has consistently argued that Lottstift lacks legal precedent within Norwegian and European Economic Area (EEA) laws to restrict its business, asserting that Norway’s monopoly system violates European legislation.

Culture and Equality Minister Anette Trettebergstuen remarked,

“The outcome is not surprising, as this lawsuit joins several others in the gambling sector where the state has consistently prevailed. The recent decision by the Borgarting Court of Appeal rejecting Trannel’s appeal reaffirms the Norwegian Lottery Authority’s actions and underscores the importance of regulating the gambling market to protect consumers and uphold legal and ethical standards.”