And no, we do not mean the game. The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has released an in-depth breakdown regarding the gambling market in Norway. The Association has, again, called on the state of Norway to rethink its monopoly and follow other Nordic countries in expanding to a multi-licensed structure. Is Norway gambling about to change?
With online gabling and betting seeing an icrease in popularity in Norway, this is seen as more than just a recommendation. Research shows that more and more Norwegian players are using internationally available online casinos, not bound by local laws and are avoiding paying tax back to the state.
This has been an ongoing argument between EBGA and Norway’s state owned monopoly, Norks Tipping, since early 2009. Currently, all but two countries in Europe have a multi-licensed market established.
It is worth pointing out, though, that while a multi-license market is established, it does not always mean that the licensed are given to non-state-owned operators. Denmark and Sweden, previously slower to adopt, have embraced this model and benefited from it. However, Sweden faces ongoing pressure to achieve a high channelization rate.
More security for the players.
Meanwhile, Finland has been re-regulating its market, preparing to transition from the Veikkaus monopoly to a multi-license model. While this shift has led to job losses in the land-based sector, industry experts argue that it will ultimately be beneficial.
In contrast, Norway has yet to begin such a process. The EGBA has warned that it risks becoming the last country in Europe to maintain a monopoly-based gambling model, which has largely been replaced by more resilient licensing systems.
That said, Norway has taken steps to curb illegal operators, including considering DNS bans to prevent unauthorized platforms from targeting its citizens.
However, even regulated markets continue to battle the black market. According to the association, the most effective solution for Norway would be to introduce a regulated gambling framework.
