Online gambling regulation in Norway

Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority (Lotteri‑ og stiftelsestilsynet / Lotteritilsynet). State monopoly model. Checked 2026-09-21.

Advertising unlicensed gambling banned: Yes
Public licence register: Not confirmed
Online casino: Monopoly
Online sports betting: Monopoly

Casino, sports betting, poker and more

Norway uses a state monopoly: Norsk Tipping covers sports betting and some online games, while poker is heavily restricted and generally not offered by private operators. Casino-style products are limited to the monopoly operator; offshore sites are blocked or targeted for payment and access enforcement.

Product	Status	What that means
Online casino	Monopoly	—
Online sports betting	Monopoly	—
Online poker	Restricted	Restricted; real-money online poker is not generally licensed for private operators, with only state-monopoly offerings and limited exceptions.
Sweepstakes and social casinos	Not confirmed	Unclear; the results do not confirm how sweepstakes/social casinos are treated in Norway.
Prediction markets	Not confirmed	Unclear; the results do not confirm a Norway-specific treatment of real-money prediction markets.
Mystery boxes	Not confirmed	Norwegian gambling law generally bars paid chance-based prize schemes without a licence, but I found no direct 2026 decision on mystery boxes/loot boxes specifically; the relevant framework is the Gambling Scheme Act (2023).

Advertising unlicensed gambling in Norway

Prohibited. Gambling Act marketing rules and related regulations; Media Authority explains that operators without a permit are prohibited from marketing gambling services in Norway.

Only Norsk Tipping, Norsk Rikstoto and certain permit‑holders may advertise; others (including media and agencies) are banned from marketing unlicensed gambling.

Regulator and law

Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority (Lotteri‑ og stiftelsestilsynet / Lotteritilsynet)

Gambling Act (often referred to as the Gambling Scheme Act) consolidating Norwegian gambling regulation from 1 January 2023.

Online casino: Monopoly. Online sports betting: Monopoly.

Checking a licence

We could not confirm a public register. Lotteritilsynet’s website lists authorised operators (Norsk Tipping, Norsk Rikstoto), but a dedicated searchable public licence register was not clearly identified in sources.

How the black market is fought

Payment blocking by banks/payment providers against unlicensed operators.
DNS / ISP blocking of unlicensed gambling websites from 2025.
Cease‑and‑desist orders and orders to rectify illegal conditions.
Coercive fines for non‑compliance with Gambling Act obligations.
Power to suspend payment transactions related to illegal gambling.

Advertising rules for licensed operators

Only Norsk Tipping, Norsk Rikstoto and certain permitted organisations may market gambling.
Marketing gambling to minors is prohibited (Gambling Act section 6(2)(b)).
Marketing must relate only to legally permitted games of the monopoly operators.
It is forbidden to market specific games like KongKasino and Bingoria in certain contexts.

Recent developments

2023 Gambling Act consolidated previous laws, confirming exclusive rights for Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.
From January 2025 Lotteritilsynet gained power to order DNS blocking of unlicensed gambling sites, expanded to hundreds of domains by mid‑2026.
Continued tightening of marketing rules and enforcement cooperation with media authorities against foreign gambling advertising after 2021 ban.

Questions

Is it illegal to advertise unlicensed gambling in Norway?

Yes. Gambling Act marketing rules and related regulations; Media Authority explains that operators without a permit are prohibited from marketing gambling services in Norway. Only Norsk Tipping, Norsk Rikstoto and certain permit‑holders may advertise; others (including media and agencies) are banned from marketing unlicensed gambling.

Who regulates online gambling in Norway?

Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority (Lotteri‑ og stiftelsestilsynet / Lotteritilsynet). The main law is Gambling Act (often referred to as the Gambling Scheme Act) consolidating Norwegian gambling regulation from 1 January 2023..

How can I check whether a gambling operator is licensed in Norway?

Lotteritilsynet’s website lists authorised operators (Norsk Tipping, Norsk Rikstoto), but a dedicated searchable public licence register was not clearly identified in sources.

What we could not confirm

Exact section numbers for DNS‑blocking and payment‑blocking powers (e.g. § 32a, § 35) are reported by commentary but not verified in the official consolidated text.
Existence and URL of a formal, standalone online public licence register/whitelist beyond general information pages for Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.
Whether Norsk Tipping offers a specific online poker product today
Whether sweepstakes/social casinos are separately regulated or treated as gambling
Whether paid mystery boxes/loot boxes are treated as gambling or consumer products in Norway
Whether prediction markets are regulated as gambling or financial derivatives in Norway
Whether any private online casino offering is licensed in Norway

Sources

Researched 2026-09-21 from public sources and summarised by the Brandfense team. Not legal advice — confirm with the regulator or your counsel before acting.