What to Know About Norwegian Casinos

Norwegian casinos have very different regulations and gameplay than other countries. A private gaming and casino market exists in many European countries; however, Norway’s gaming platform is a strictly government regulated system. The regulations, the type of behaviour players can engage in and also how foreign online casinos fit into Norway’s regulatory framework must be examined in order to gain an understanding of the way casinos operate in Norway.

Gambling Regulation in Norway

Among the strictest gambling laws in Europe, the regulations that govern gambling in Norway are extremely tight.

The Norwegian government operates a monopoly on all forms of gambling through two state-owned operators, Norsk Tipping (which includes lotteries and sports betting and a limited range of online casino games) and Norsk Rikstoto (which only offers betting on horse races).

There are no commercially operated casinos in Norway, and the model was designed to limit access to gambling products that can potentially create problems due to excessive wagering behaviour and maintain a focus on the social benefits to be derived from the proceeds generated through gambling and related means.

Online Casinos and Norwegian Players

While Norway allows foreign online casinos to accept players from Norway, there is no legal way for private casinos to operate in Norway. Therefore, many licensed gaming sites allow players from Norway to play on their websites, including several international gaming sites that have some form of license or authorization. Sites that help players compare and review gaming sites, such as Norske Casinoer, assess the different gaming sites that they assess as well as provide information regarding the payment options available to players in Norway, the legal information concerning Norwegian players, and the advantages and disadvantages of using the specific gaming site.

The government has made various attempts to stop unlicensed gaming operators from providing gaming services to Norwegian players by introducing several restrictions on advertising for unlicensed operators, as well as blocking payments made to unlicensed operators through financial institutions; nevertheless, these tactics do not appear to have deterred Norwegian players from expressing an increased level of interest in playing on online casinos.

Popular Casino Games in Norway

Norwegians typically play online slot machines for fast and easy games. Live dealer casinos (e.g. blackjack, roulette) provide faster-paced gameplay than poker or complex games. Players also prefer to use gambling sites that include sports betting as part of their gaming options, e.g. gambling sites that allow players to bet on sporting events as well as play online slots. This shows that Norwegians have an interest in both online gambling and sports betting.

Payments and Transaction Challenges

Restrictions imposed by financial institutions create significant barriers for individuals located within Norway when attempting to transfer funds to an overseas gaming establishment. Numerous banks based within Norway prohibit customers from transferring money through their accounts to offshore online casinos; therefore, many individuals use alternate means to deposit funds to their accounts, such as utilizing an electronic wallet service, utilizing cryptocurrency, or using a payment processor operated by a third party.

Withdrawals, however, do not present the same level of difficulty as deposits, although the conditions applied for withdrawal may differ depending on the licensing authority and rules of the specific online casino operator.

Responsible Gambling Culture

Norway places great importance on responsible gambler practices in relation to Casino services. Because Norwegians generally gamble less often and spend fewer dollars per visit than would those who reside in other parts of Europe, they have more awareness of responsible channeling and self-control tools (e.g., deposit limit and self-exclusion).

Due to this cautionary approach to gambling, many international Casino operators will develop their products/offerings for Norway based on principles of transparency and consumer protection.

Advertising Restrictions

In Norway, strict limitations have been placed on marketing through Casino businesses. Gaming businesses have been prohibited from broadcasting commercials via Television, Radio and outdoor billboards. Thus, Casino businesses are only minimally visible to the general public. France and the Netherlands, for example, rely heavily on the internet, website comparison tools and/or other digital means of collecting information about casino businesses available to the general public.

Outlook for the Norwegian Casino Market

The debate regarding the potential introduction of a regulatory framework for gambling in line with other Nordic nations continues in Norway today. As it stands, however, no changes are anticipated to the current monopoly structure that governs all gambling activities within Norway's borders in the foreseeable future.

Online casinos located outside of Norway are expected to maintain a level of popularity among Norwegian players; however, their operation will remain within a grey, controlled area of law where enforcement against these operators may or may not occur.

Conclusion

The Norwegian gambling sector is closely regulated and has restrictions on the marketing of all forms of gambling; however, there are no local gambling venues and private operators can only offer games licensed in foreign jurisdictions.

Gambling behaviour in Norway is heavily influenced by an emphasis on responsible gambling and understanding the various legal structures associated with the industry will assist players when making decisions about where to gamble.