Norway Blocks Illegal Gambling Acts – Legally
Online gaming is an entertaining activity, but it’s not as freely accessible in every region. The gambling regulations vary in different countries around the world, determining what type of access locals have.
Norway gambling regulators recently made some changes to its gaming act to strengthen its hold on the monopoly even more than ever before.
Strict Norwegian Gambling Legislation
Online gaming is not taboo in Norway; the site allows gaming but has strict preferences about where this gaming action can take place. Norway’s gambling market is a monopoly where the only legal operators accessible are Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.
The Gaming Scheme Act and the Lottery Act are the two main laws in Norway that cover all things in terms of gambling. As the global gambling industry grows and evolves, the restrictions in Norway seem to get even stricter.
Just recently, the online gambling authority in Norway blocked online transactions to illegal online casinos. They did this by putting a ban in place on payment providers, effectively stopping transactions with gambling operators who don’t have a Norwegian gaming license.
DNS Blocking of Illegal Sites
And now amendments have been made to the Gambling Act that will allow Lotteritilsynet to force internet service providers to domain name system block any websites that are not allowed to provide services within the country. This new amendment will come into effect from 1 January 2024.
This means starting in 2024, the only operators available in Norway will be Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, which fall under Norway’s monopoly system.
According to the Minister of Culture and Equality, Lubna Jaffery, these measures are being taken to prevent and limit gambling problems. As well as to look after vulnerable players and their families.
Once the amendment comes into effect, these illegal sites will no longer be accessible. Whenever a player visits an illegal website, they will be sent to a landing page by their internet service provider that notifies them that the website they are trying to access has been DNS blocked.
Jaffery also noted that if the foreign gambling companies had complied with Norwegian laws, then it would not have been necessary to impose this on internet providers. But since compliance is not there, the only way of regulation is to target those over whom they have jurisdiction.
The country’s monopoly system is not warmly welcomed by all. The Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association, Maarten Haijer, recently encouraged the country to switch its licensing model to meet the player demands for alternatives.
Top Norway Gambling Sites
Norway Gambling FAQs
📅 When does the new Norway gambling legislation come into effect?
The new Norway gambling regulations and legislation will come into effect on 1 January 2024.
🔑 What happens if you access an illegal online casino in Norway?
You will be sent to a landing page stating that access to the site has been DNS blocked.
🎰 What are the legal gaming options for Norwegians?
Legal operators in Norway include Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.
💡 What other similar bans does Norway have in place?
A ban was put in place with payment providers to stop transactions with unlicensed gambling operators.
✏️ What is the legal situation for online gaming in Norway?
Norway allows for online casino games, but it falls under a monopoly system with several restrictions.