Key points
- Norway uses an exclusive-rights model. Under the Gambling Act of 2022, Norsk Tipping and the licensed horse-betting operator hold exclusive rights to games that need special public control.
- Only operators with a Norwegian licence or permission may offer gambling in Norway.
- Since 1 January 2025, Lotteritilsynet has ordered internet providers to DNS-block illegal gambling sites.
- Processing payments to unlicensed gambling and marketing unlicensed games are prohibited. The age limit is 18.
Who regulates gambling in Norway?
The Gambling Act (Lov om pengespill, 18 March 2022 no. 12) sets the framework. Lotteritilsynet, the Norwegian Gambling Authority, supervises the market (§ 24), and Lotterinemnda hears appeals (§ 29).
Exclusive rights instead of open licensing
Under § 10, Norsk Tipping and the holder of the horse-betting licence under § 14 have exclusive rights to offer games that need special public control. Lotteritilsynet states that only operators with a national licence or permission may legally offer gambling in Norway. Foreign online casinos are not licensed in Norway, whatever licence they hold elsewhere.
Enforcement against unlicensed sites
- DNS blocking. Parliament introduced DNS blocking of illegal gambling websites from 1 January 2025. Lotteritilsynet issues binding instructions to internet providers. Users who try to open a blocked site see the provider's page explaining that the site's gambling services are not legal in Norway.
- Payment ban. § 5 prohibits processing payment transactions for deposits to, or payouts from, games that lack the required licence.
- Marketing ban. § 6 prohibits marketing games that are not licensed under the Act, marketing to minors, and direct marketing to people who have opted out.
Age and player protection
- Age 18. § 7: gambling shall have an 18-year age limit. The Ministry may make exceptions for specific games.
- Protection measures. Licensed operators must have measures to counter gambling problems suited to each game type (§ 7), and may process customer data to follow up gambling behaviour (§ 16).
- Lotteritilsynet warns that unlicensed services carry a significantly higher risk of gambling-related harm and usually lack the responsible gambling tools licensed providers must offer.
What this means for players
In Norway, the lawful online casino offer is limited to the exclusive-rights holder. Offers from other operators are not licensed in Norway. Use the licensed operator's limit and pause tools if you need them.
Note about the offers on this page: the offers shown above are general advertising and are not licensed in Norway. Norwegian law prohibits marketing unlicensed gambling in Norway, so these offers are not directed at Norwegian residents.
Sources
- Lov om pengespill (Gambling Act), final text notified to the EFTA Surveillance Authority, pengespilloven. §§ 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, 16, 24 and 29. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Lotteritilsynet, DNS blocking in Norway. Page modified 22 April 2026. Checked 3 November 2026.
Limitations: we used the final text notified to the EFTA Surveillance Authority. The current consolidated law is on Lovdata.