Scandinavia has been at the forefront of the online gaming since the outset – and the innovation developed in northern Europe has helped improve the online gaming experience for all players around the world. This also explains why the North European markets are considered by many to be among the most profitable in the European gaming business.
Sweden, for instance, has for decades been a driving force for the online casino business – and is known to constantly push the boundaries and set new standards for online slots. In the early 2000s, when online poker was all the rage, the Swedish gaming companies were already set-up – and this early advantage gave them the opportunity to develop products to cater for the newest gaming trends. Even in the payment sector, Trustly, a Swedish payment provider, revolutionised the sector by developing the first instant banking process to the gaming world.
Norway is a bit different than its Scandinavian neighbours – and this is mainly to a different, and stricter, legislation. Until a few months ago, Norway had a monopoly in the sector – specifically Norsk Tipping for the state lottery, and Norsk Rikstoto for racing betting. This monopoly has long been criticised – and last April, the European Gaming and Betting Association general secretary Maarten Haijer said that players were rejecting the state-owned monopoly and seeking entertainment on international betting sites that offered a greater choice – this explained why Norway, he added, was losing control of its online gambling market.
Apart from this monopoly, the governance of Norway’s monopolies was fragmented – and simultaneously overseen by the Lottery Committee, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Last June, Norway’s Minister of Culture and Gender Equality presented a new Gambling Act, with the main aim of helping the country combat unlicensed gambling. The new bill – which was originally proposed way back in June 2020 and with the European Commission notified in August of the same year – also aims to reduce the fragmentation of Norway’s gambling framework, which consists of three laws: the 1995 Lottery Act, the 1992 Gambling Act and the 1927 Totalisator Act. The proposed new bill would consolidate these three laws into a new regulatory framework – and this would also help in the oversight of the sector.
This legal reform – which would also take into account Norges Casino – or in English, Norwegian casinos, would also place a strong obligation on gambling operators to uphold their social responsibility. This focus on responsible gaming would be enhanced through a general ban on credit games – this would counter debt issues.
The proposed new legislation would also reduce marketing – limiting gambling advertising to children and to those who have self-excluded themselves from betting.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk.