Gambling Laws in Norway

This attraction has engulfed the majority of Norwegians, especially in rural areas. So much so that gambling is controlled by the government in Norway. The sole way of engaging in a game of gambling or wagering on sports in Norway is through the state-owned Norsk Tipping, though there are still some gamblers looking for alternatives like Norwegian blackjack sites accessible online.

To bet on horse racing, you must bet through Norsk Rikstoto, which is roughly equivalent to the British Tote. No Grand National in Norway, however — instead, you can watch harness racing, or as I prefer to refer to it, trotting races!

This strange sport entails a small horse pulling a jockey in a wheeled cart behind. It's absurd, and it is absurd. If there's one guaranteed way to deter Norwegians from betting, it's this.

Sport betting should be allowed only via the state. But international bookies profit from internet betting websites that accept wagers in Norwegian kroner.

The government passed a law that forced Norwegian banks to block payments from Norway to internet gambling businesses.

However, if you follow live games, you will see that the broadcasts are often sponsored by well-known European bookmakers.

Their odds will be on the screen while the matches are taking place, so it is clear that the law is not achieving what it was intended to do. There are ways around the restrictions, including using digital wallets or offshore bank accounts.

Gambling

Of course, betting on the lottery weekly for a family birthday or playing a few kroner on Liverpool is one thing — wasting an entire weekend in a casino is another.

Casinos are banned in Norway, which I did not discover until I went to Gothenburg and saw one there.

In order to avoid this ban, however, thousands of Norwegians travel to such nations as Sweden, Germany, or England to gamble. Ferries from Oslo to Copenhagen and Kiel even have casinos aboard!

There is even a Norwegian Championship of Poker — which is based in. Ireland! One part of it attracted over one thousand Norwegians to Dublin.

One of the main sources of gambling issues has been the slot machines. They were originally to be seen in nearly every pub, filling station, or even supermarket in the nation.

The government had no choice but to move in, and it did — by banning all slot machines. It then came in with interactive video terminals, which offered exactly the same thing.

Changes in Poker Laws

Money poker had been banned in Norway for years, but things began to change.

Public or humanitarian organizations are qualified to obtain a three-year license to hold the national poker championship. One such license was obtained by the Norwegian Leukemia Association.

Low-stakes poker has since then been legalized by the government to be played between friends and relatives in private homes.

What's the Government's Motive?

These actions have made many individuals blame the government stance towards controlling gambling to be more intent on raising cash than with people's welfare. 

However, in order to play using the interactive video terminals, the participants must register and use a particular card that limits how much money they gamble.

I know many Norwegians read my blog, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. I’ve since been told that (some?) of the profits from Norsk Tipping are directed toward local nonprofits and youth sports clubs.

Because of the lack of land-based casinos and the strict restrictions on terminals in Norway, online gambling has become extremely popular, significantly increasing demand.

The Norwegian government tries to protect its monopolies — Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto (https://www.norsk-tipping.no and https://www.rikstoto.no respectively). In fact, the two operators are currently the sole licensed online gaming operators in Norway. Around 80% of Norwegians gamble online. Norsk Tipping tries to lure in more players to its site by offering progressive jackpots and interactive casino-style games.

Norway also keeps foreign and private Internet gambling businesses from operating in the country.