Summary
- Norway's top regulatory authorities have united to tackle issues associated with gambling-related harm.
- Regulators argue that emerging and ongoing issues related to gambling, which affect young people, need to be addressed.
- Norway maintains a monopoly on gambling, asserting that only a small percentage of people participate with offshore operators.
Regulators in Norway are uniting to support a proposal aimed at shielding young people from the dangers of gambling, driven by a rise in calls to the national gambling helpline.
Norwegian regulators join efforts to help protect young consumers
The Norwegian Lottery Authority, Consumer Authority, and Media Authority are addressing significant issues faced by consumers in the market. Most notably, 64% of those seeking help report problems arising from playing online casino games. The regulators have also highlighted the potential role of video gaming in contributing to gambling-related harm. Features like in-game purchases, loot boxes, and skin betting have been linked to addiction, particularly among young people. In response, the regulators are ramping up efforts to protect young individuals by implementing measures such as restricting advertisements and targeting illegal gambling websites. Norway operates a monopoly model for gambling, with all activities centralized under state control through Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto. While this model has faced criticism, the gambling regulator, Lottstift, noted earlier this year that only a small portion of the population, around 3.8% or 169,000 people, engage with offshore gambling websites. Bente Øverli, Director of the Norwegian Consumer Authority, emphasized the need for stronger measures, stating, Gambling and purchases have increasingly become a part of computer games. We observe that gaming is incorporating traditional casino tactics, thereby exposing children and young people to risk. Moreover, Lottstift recently admitted that its tip-off service had been malfunctioning for over 15 months, urging individuals who reported tips during that time to resubmit them.
Regulators want to address emerging and persisting issues
Based on available data and extrapolation, it's estimated that approximately 500 tips may have been overlooked by the regulator. Lottstift Director Atle Hamar mentioned that the watchdog is aware of incidents where children have gambled thousands of kroner, the national currency. He stated, People who gamble online need better protection than what is currently in place, and the gambling industry must assume greater responsibility. In the meantime, the regulators aim to offer educational resources for young people, enhance supervision, and bolster prevention efforts. They also plan to address sensitive issues and areas where they may lack experience, such as how video game mechanics might contribute to gambling-related harm among young people.
