Critica per il divieto di pubblicità in Norvegia
Il panorama del gioco d'azzardo online in Norvegia è sull'orlo di un cambiamento significativo, poiché l'Organizzazione Norvegese del Gioco d'Azzardo (NBO) e varie figure politiche chiedono un modello regolamentare più liberale. Il monopolio attuale, mantenuto dagli operatori di stato Norsk Tipping e Norsk Rikstoto, è sotto critica per la sua natura restrittiva e le limitate offerte.
La NBO, che include fornitori di gioco d'azzardo online internazionalmente rinomati come Betsson, Kindred Group, Cherry's, ComeOn e Gaming Innovation Group, crede che la liberalizzazione dei mercati in altri paesi europei si sia dimostrata efficace. Essi sostengono la dissoluzione del monopolio di stato in Norvegia, citando la necessità di un settore del gioco d'azzardo più competitivo e diversificato.
Figure politiche, come il membro del Partito del Progresso Silje Hjemdal, hanno apertamente sostenuto questa richiesta. Hjemdal ha criticato i ripetuti fallimenti regolamentari di Norsk Tipping, inclusi i miseri meccanismi di protezione del giocatore e i fallimenti relativi alle funzionalità di autoesclusione. Ella sostiene l'apertura del mercato a operatori privati licenziati.
Le severe regolamentazioni norvegesi hanno inavvertitamente spinto i giocatori verso casinò online offshore e operati con criptovaluta. L'uso di Bitcoin è aumentato come metodo per bypassare le transazioni bancarie bloccate, consentendo l'accesso a una più ampia gamma di piattaforme di gioco d'azzardo non disponibili nel sistema di monopolio attuale.
Despite regulatory restrictions, the online gambling market in Norway is rapidly evolving. Operators are adapting to consumer preferences, especially in sports betting, which remains the dominant segment, including growing interest in winter sports and chess betting.
In response to the criticism and calls for liberalization, Norwegian authorities are considering a shift from a strict state monopoly towards a regulated licensing model, similar to other European countries. This would allow private operators to enter the market under strict supervision.
Enhanced regulatory oversight is also expected to improve player protection mechanisms within both state and potentially private platforms, addressing past shortcomings of Norsk Tipping. The adoption of new technologies and payment methods within a regulated framework could curb the use of offshore and cryptocurrency gambling that currently circumvents Norwegian laws.
Political and public debates are likely to intensify in 2025, influenced by media coverage and advocacy from industry stakeholders. This could result in legislative proposals aimed at opening up Norway’s gambling market. The Norwegian Media Authority (Medietilsynet) is also expected to gain the power to instruct domestic TV stations and internet game developers to prevent any form of promotion of online gambling providers from the European Union.
However, the Norwegian government's drastic measures to protect the state gambling monopoly are unlikely to be reconsidered at this point. The government implemented a general ban on payments to gambling operators without a Norwegian license in 2020, aiming to prevent transactions with unlicensed operators.
Sweden, another European country maintaining a gambling monopoly, opened its market for online gambling at the beginning of 2019, aiming to channel the long-booming online sector into regulated paths and increase player protection. Sweden introduced a modern licensing system, with proof of a self-exclusion system being one of the requirements.
Norway and Finland remain the only countries in the European Union maintaining a gambling monopoly. Despite the ban, Norwegian citizens still spend around €590 million with foreign providers, highlighting the demand for alternatives beyond the state-controlled offerings.
The NBO has criticized the existing advertising ban for European offshore providers in Norway and received this news with "consternation". The reform will enable the Norwegian Media Authority (Medietilsynet) to instruct domestic TV stations and internet game developers to prevent any form of promotion of online gambling providers from the European Union. The new law is scheduled to come into force in 2020.
In summary, Norway’s online gambling regulation is anticipated to evolve from its traditional monopoly towards a more liberal, regulated licensing model that balances player choice, market competition, and consumer protection in response to criticism from the NBO and broader public dissatisfaction.
What could Norway's shift towards a regulated licensing model in finance mean for its casino-and-gambling sector, considering the current restrictive state monopoly and the rise of offshore and cryptocurrency gambling? Politics, especially the call from figures like Silje Hjemdal and the industry stakeholders, seems to play a significant role in this general-news story.
