In the latest effort by the government to maintain its state gambling monopoly, internet providers could be required to implement technical measures to block access to certain websites using the domain name system (DNS).
This bill would redirect users to a landing page with information about why the site is blocked if they try to visit a blocked website. The amendment to the Gambling Act was proposed by the ministry of culture and equality on October 20 and approved by the cabinet on the same day.
This legislation comes over two years after the Norwegian authorities began discussing DNS blocking for unlicensed sites. The minister for culture and equality, Lubna Jaffery, explained that this action is primarily taken to prevent and limit gambling problems and protect vulnerable players and their families. Jaffery also mentioned that if foreign gambling companies had followed Norwegian law, this measure would not have been necessary.
These efforts to block unlicensed sites come after the government noted the possibility of banning unregulated sites starting from 2024 due to Kindred Group’s withdrawal from Norway in September. Financial institutions in Norway are already responsible for monitoring and stopping transactions related to illegal gambling, and the Norwegian Lottery Authority is currently monitoring nine banks for compliance.
Earlier this year, the director of the Norwegian Lottery Authority, Henrik Nordal, expressed support for DNS blocking as a way to make risky gambling games less available and to raise awareness among players about the risks of playing with illegal gambling companies. Nordal believes that DNS blocking is an effective measure to inform and prevent players from engaging in these activities.
Norway is one of the few European countries that still maintains a state gambling monopoly, with Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto holding the rights to online casino gaming, sports betting, and horse racing. This limits online gambling options for Norwegian players.
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has called on Norway to transition to a licensing model, similar to neighboring countries like Sweden and Finland. EGBA argues that a licensing system would help combat issues such as consumers gambling with unlicensed sites.
