Calls for a license system in Norway are getting louder and louder

Norway is one of the few countries in Europe that still has a state monopoly on gambling. Regulation is enforced very restrictively and with all possible force. This includes network blocks, payment blocking, strict control of possible winnings and other measures. The Norwegian supervisory authority Lotteritilsynet and the governing party still consider the system to be the best and safest solution. However, industry representatives, players, experts and politicians in the country are increasingly calling for the market to be opened up.

Norway's gambling policy is undoubtedly one of the most restrictive in Europe. Such offers are strictly regulated and only permitted to selected companies. The focus is on a state monopoly and two officially approved operators: Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto. Norsk Tipping mainly provides lotteries, sports betting and casino games, while Norsk Rikstoto focuses on horse betting. Both operators are regulated by Lotteritilsynet, the Norwegian Gambling Authority.

These and other strict regulations have been causing a stir for a long time and are in fact leading to more and more players accessing illegal offers from abroad, which of course still exist despite IP blocking. Incidentally , despite the record numbers on its blacklist, Switzerland also has to contend with foreign casinos constantly entering the market. Opponents of the monopoly have been calling for a realignment of the Norwegian regulatory system for years. The conservative Høyre party is currently the driving force behind opening up the market. The ruling Arbeiderpartiet is against it.

Høyre Party sees the liberal markets in Sweden, Denmark and Finland as role models

The Høyre Party, Norway's largest conservative political force, is increasingly advocating a move away from the gambling monopoly and sees the liberalized markets in Sweden, Denmark and Finland as pioneering models.

In particular, the recent move by Finland, which opened up its online gambling market in July, is cited as a role model by leading party members. Sweden introduced a licensing system back in 2019 and has since seen significant improvements in channelling players to regulated platforms. On a different note, there has just been a major gambling scandal involving the Swedish Social Democrats. Denmark, where licenses for private gambling companies have been issued since 2012, is cited as another example of success - not least because of the good player protection in the country.

• Høyre argues that the monopoly of Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto is increasingly losing its effectiveness, particularly with regard to player protection and combating the growing illegal market. Despite strict measures such as network blocking and payment blocking, the state monopolists are unable to keep players completely away from unregulated, international platforms.
• This development has led to a paradoxical situation: while state revenues from gambling are stagnating, the black market is flourishing. In neighbouring countries, better control has been achieved through liberalization, which has optimized both player protection measures and revenues.

The Høyre Party sees a possible licensing system for Norway not only as an opportunity to fill the state coffers. They also want to establish a more flexible and modern regulatory model that responds better to the dynamics of digital gambling.

A key objective is to create a system that not only generates higher revenues, but also addresses problematic gaming behavior more effectively and curbs the illegal market in the long term.

What other parties and the industry have to say about the liberalization plans

Politics

The plans to liberalize the Norwegian gambling market have met with mixed reactions across the political spectrum.

While the ruling Arbeiderpartiet (Labor Party), which has held a narrow majority in parliament since 2021, continues to stand behind the existing monopoly, pressure is growing from various sides. The Arbeiderpartiet argues (similarly to the local gambling authority) that the state monopoly offers the best protection against problematic behavior while ensuring that the revenue from gambling activities directly benefits the common good. It is supported in this by the Senterpartiet (Center Party), with which it forms a governing coalition.

On the other hand, however, there are increasing calls for a departure from this strict model. The Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet), which currently has 21 seats in parliament, already took a clear stance against the monopoly in its 2021 election manifesto and spoke out in favor of introducing a licensing system. The party argues that a controlled opening of the market could both improve player protection and curb illegal offers. Its aim is to put sports and entertainment games on an equal footing with neighbouring countries, where liberalized systems are already in place.

The Liberal Party (Venstre), known across the political spectrum for its progressive stance, has announced in its manifesto for the 2025 election that it will undertake a review of current gambling regulation in order to find ways to combat gambling addiction. Although Venstre has not yet expressed any clear plans to fully open up the market, the party is expected to play a key role in the debates surrounding the future of the Norwegian system.

Industry representatives

The gambling industry is optimistic. Carl Fredrik Stenstrøm, Secretary General of Norsk Bransjeforening for Onlinespill (NBO), believes that the time is ripe for the market to be licensed. He points to the experience in Sweden, where there was no increase in problem gambling after regulation, which could allay the concerns of some politicians. He also sees Finland's recent move towards market liberalization as another positive precedent. Stenstrøm is convinced that there is now cross-party agreement in Norway to open up the market and predicts that full liberalization of online gambling could be achieved by 2028.

Pressure on Norway is also growing at European level. In September 2023, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) called on Norwegian legislators to reform the current monopoly system in favor of a licensing model. According to the EGBA, such an approach could help to counteract the growing problems associated with unregulated international gambling sites and strengthen player protection.

Conclusion

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