Norsk Tipping Faces €3.9m Fine Over Lottery Draw Errors

Norway’s national gambling regulator has sounded a loud warning: state-owned lottery giant Norsk Tipping is facing a potential €3.9 million fine after years of faulty lottery draws that gave select groups an unfair edge.

The Norwegian Gambling Authority (NGA) revealed that the error stems from technical flaws in extra draws for Eurojackpot and super draws in Lotto. These flaws disproportionately benefited cooperative players, such as those pooling tickets through clubs or cooperative banks, skewing the odds for years.

NGA director Atle Hamar stressed the seriousness of the issue:

“This means the error has affected millions of players. There have been wrong winners in every single draw over several years.”

Norsk Tipping has admitted the fault, which has existed since at least 2021, across more than 100 extra and super draws held each year. In 2024 alone, 1.5 million Norwegians played Eurojackpot, and nearly 2 million participated in Lotto.

Despite receiving tips about the issue in late 2024, Norsk Tipping failed to act swiftly. Reports were filed in January 2025, but two more faulty draws occurred before the company officially acknowledged the problem.

The proposed NOK46 million (€3.9 million) fine represents 0.45% of Norsk Tipping’s 2024 turnover of NOK10.2 billion, after deducting prizes.

Hamar underlined the gravity:

“Players should be able to trust that Norsk Tipping’s games are safe and fair. With the market position they hold, such errors should have been discovered and corrected immediately.”

Notably, this is not Norsk Tipping’s first compliance misstep. In less than a year, the operator has faced two other regulatory breaches:

• A NOK25 million payout error in its KongKasino online game, violating the NOK100,000 prize limit.

• A self-exclusion system failure, which prevented players from properly blocking themselves, resulting in a NOK36 million fine.

These repeated incidents have now prompted the NGA to tighten its oversight.

To prevent future breaches, the NGA is drafting new regulations, including a mandate for independent testing institutes to verify the fairness and functionality of all Norsk Tipping games. Operators across Europe should view this case as a stark reminder: robust internal controls, rapid incident response, and strict compliance practices are essential to avoid regulatory penalties and reputational damage.

Norsk Tipping Faces €3.9 Million Fine for Lottery Draw Errors Impacting Millions

Key Points

• Major Fine Threatened: Norsk Tipping faces a NOK46 million (€3.9 million) fine for years-long lottery draw errors.
• Widespread Impact: Millions of players were affected, with faulty draws benefiting cooperative ticket groups unfairly.
• Regulatory Crackdown: The NGA is tightening rules, including independent testing requirements, after multiple recent breaches.

Norsk Tipping’s Compliance Crisis: A Wake-Up Call for the Gambling Industry

Norsk Tipping, Norway’s flagship gambling operator, is navigating turbulent waters. What was once seen as a reliable and responsible state-run institution is now under intense scrutiny following the revelation that lottery draw mechanisms had been faulty for years.

The errors, affecting Eurojackpot and Lotto super draws, unfairly favored certain player groups and shook public trust. While Norsk Tipping’s admission of the problem shows some transparency, its slow response—despite internal tips and external reports—raises serious concerns about internal oversight and operational resilience.

Adding to the pressure, this is Norsk Tipping’s third regulatory breach within a year. The combined fines, now approaching €8 million, suggest a pattern of operational weaknesses rather than isolated mistakes. For an operator tasked with promoting responsible gambling and public trust, repeated failings at this scale could erode its license to operate—not just legally, but socially.

The NGA’s move to impose stricter regulations, particularly the mandatory use of independent testing institutes, is a significant policy shift. It signals that regulators across Europe are no longer satisfied with self-policing by even the most trusted operators. Instead, they demand transparent, verifiable safeguards to protect consumers and uphold fairness.

Norsk Tipping’s looming €3.9 million fine over lottery draw errors is more than just a financial penalty—it’s a clear message from regulators that integrity in gambling operations is non-negotiable. As the company works to repair trust and enhance its systems, operators across Europe should take heed: the age of casual compliance is over. Strong governance, proactive audits, and a commitment to fairness are now the minimum standard in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.