Norway’s government has proposed allowing state-owned Norsk Tipping to offer online poker, arguing that a regulated domestic option could provide safer conditions for players currently using unregulated international gambling sites.
The Ministry of Culture and Equality submitted the proposal for consultation on 29 September as part of wider amendments to Norway’s gambling regulations.
Government Targets Unregulated Poker Market
The proposal comes amid estimates that a significant number of Norwegians already play online poker through operators based outside the country.
A 2022 population survey conducted by the University of Bergen found that almost 90,000 Norwegians played online poker with foreign operators each year.
Norsk Tipping now estimates that the number could have grown to between 100,000 and 150,000 annual players.
Culture and Equality Minister Lubna Jaffery said the government believes bringing online poker under Norway’s regulated gambling framework would provide players with a safer alternative to unregulated international operators.
New Player Protection Rules Proposed
Under the proposal, Norsk Tipping’s online poker offering would operate under specific responsible gambling requirements.
These would include limits on losses and maximum stakes, as well as mandatory breaks from play.
The government said the proposed measures are intended to reduce the risks currently associated with Norwegian players using unregulated foreign operators.
Preventing gambling addiction and other negative consequences remains a central objective of Norway’s gambling policy, with the government continuing to rely on its exclusive rights model as the foundation of the national framework.
Norsk Tipping Could Expand Its Role
Allowing online poker would represent an expansion of Norsk Tipping’s existing role in Norway’s regulated gambling market.
The proposal is currently at the consultation stage, meaning the final regulatory framework has not yet been adopted.
The government’s position is that bringing online poker into the regulated system would allow the activity to take place under domestic oversight and with specific safeguards designed around player protection.
The consultation forms part of proposed amendments to the Norwegian gambling regulations, with stakeholders now able to provide feedback on the planned changes.
Source: Government of Norway