Gambling Legislation For Norwegian Casinos And Gamblers

If you are not sure what kind of gambling legislation you will find should you visit Norway anytime soon, these next few lines should shed some light over the matter. For starters, the country is one where its residents are given maximum freedom to play their favorite games online, while casino operators are limited in terms of the monopolies that have been imposed over the last years. The government’ efforts to establish a monopoly have, however, failed, given the fact that most gamblers choose their favorite gambling platforms over the web without hesitation. Since there is no form of punishment for a Norwegian citizen to access an online casino from abroad, bingo rooms and casino venues count among some of the most popular sources of entertainment.

Does Norway Truly Have Gambling Monopoly?

By having a look at the Norwegian law, we would easily discover that only Norsk-Tipping (owned by the state) and Norsk Rikstoto (run by the industry) can provide players legal gambling services in the country. Casino operators that have a commercial nature operator are allowed to try to obtain permission to provide restricted gambling activities. However, this does not also mean that they are fully eligible for getting their own gaming license. Considering the harsh Norwegian regulation, operators that are licensed are forced to distribute 35% of their profits to Norsk Tipping and 30% to charity.

Plus, the country has also taken into serious consideration the idea of completely blocking gambling sites that do not own a license. The final call, however, was never made. The European Free Trade Association threatened to challenge Norway in case it decided to impose restrictions concerning the places Norwegian gamblers could play in.

Norwegians Can Select Their Preferred Operator

The government never managed to block IP addresses of virtual casinos from abroad. This means players here can freely access their preferred platforms with zero restrictions, as long as they accept players from their country. Even the Lottery Act and the Gaming Scheme Act are completely for players’ freedom to gamble using their favorite operators online. All bingo and casino-based service providers can be used at any given time. According to statistics, it would appear that Norwegians are not shy to do it either.

With hundreds of Norwegian-based bingo sites online and even more virtual casinos and poker rooms out there, it would be almost impossible for a player who loves gambling, not to at least test around a few of these options. Since it is not illegal for citizens of Norway to play at online casinos and they also do not have any problem with finding an online casino with services in Norwegian, entertainment is not an issue in the country.

These websites usually enable players to withdraw and deposit their funds with the help of Norwegian Krones. All venues feature SSL based security protocols that are used by banks and other financial institutions, as well as responsible gaming resources and aids. Whether you live in Norway or a different Scandinavian country, you should take a look at a few of the casinos recommended by the solid NettCasinos.org platform dedicated to Scandinavian players. The good news is that since Norway does not have any specific laws that restrict the use of these services, the majority of players do not even worry about finding and using a different VPN.

The Status Of Online Bingo Platforms

Up until now, online bingo websites have also been free to access from Norway. By looking at the current situation and state of things, things will most likely remain unchanged in the foreseeable future. People who are passionate about the fun and thrilling games of bingo will be allowed to access and play them using any gambling operator that they please, with no restrictions.

Given the fact that the country’s economy mainly relies on oil and gas from the North Sea, it seems highly likely for the government to make another attempt to get more gambling revenues should the price of the oil remain low for a longer period of time. However, pressure from the higher regulating bodies in the industry where Norway is a member could, in fact, force the government to drop its plans once again. This is excellent news for Norwegian players.

Land-based Casinos In Norway

As expected, brick-and-mortar casinos in the country are more difficult to start. This is why you, as a tourist or citizen of Norway will not be able to locate any casinos in Oslo for the time being. You can, however, come across some bingo shops which are allowed to operate under strict laws and regulations.

The future is not looking very good either in terms of land casinos. The country could take the example of Sweden which has already adopted their very own internet gambling set of regulations starting January the 1st, 2019.