Last August, Norsk Tipping, a sports betting operator, was directed to reduce advertising costs by 20% in 2023, resulting in a budget cut of NOK45m ($4.0m/€3.8m/£3.3m). Similarly, Norsk Rikstoto, a pari-mutuel horse racing betting service, was instructed to decrease its expenditure by about 5%, equivalent to NOK3.4m. These reductions were imposed by the Norwegian Lottery Authority (Lottstift) due to new regulations prohibiting illegal gambling operators from advertising on Norwegian television. In response, Norsk Tipping promptly stopped advertising its sports betting services on Norwegian television. Lottstift has confirmed that both companies have successfully complied with the order.
According to Atle Hamar, the director of Lottstift, Norwegian law limits the marketing of gambling to the extent necessary for providing information about the gambling offer and promoting responsible and safe gambling practices. Lottstift believes that gambling advertising and marketing can be harmful to individuals with gambling addiction issues.
Norway has implemented various measures to safeguard its gambling monopolies. Besides strict advertising rules, banks are forbidden from processing transactions with unlicensed operators. The government also intends to block websites offering unlicensed gambling services. Last year, the country’s five largest TV distributors were compelled to remove advertisements from foreign gambling firms by the Norwegian Media Authority (Medietilsynet) under the Broadcasting Act 2021.
In June, a survey conducted by Spillforsk at the University of Bergen revealed a 50% decrease in the number of Norwegians suffering from problem gambling since 2019. The research estimated that approximately 23,000 individuals experience problem gambling in Norway, with an additional 93,000 at risk of developing gambling-related harm. In comparison, there were 55,000 problem gamblers and 122,000 individuals at risk in 2019. However, a report published by Medietilsynet in July highlighted that 63% of children and young people aged 13-18 had witnessed gambling advertisements, raising concerns among Medietilsynet and gaming authorities.
Last December, Norsk Rikstoto had its exclusive license to offer horse racing bets extended for an additional 10 years. Anette Trettebergstuen, the minister for culture and equality, expressed her confidence in Norsk Rikstoto’s understanding of its role as a monopoly operator and its alignment with the government’s objectives.
