Norway

Lotteritilsynet (Norwegian Gaming Authority) (Lotteritilsynet) ↗Partially regulatedsince 2023verified 2026-08-03

Norway runs an exclusive-rights (enerettsmodell) monopoly model. Norsk Tipping, wholly state-owned under the Ministry of Culture, offers lotteries, sports betting, Keno, scratch cards and online casino-type games; Norsk Rikstoto, a foundation, runs horse-race totalisator betting. A single consolidated Gambling Act (Lov om pengespill / 'pengespilloven', adopted 18 March 2022, in force 1 January 2023) replaced the 1927 Totalisator Act, the 1992 Gaming Act and the 1995 Lottery Act and codifies the monopoly, with the Norwegian Gaming Authority (Lotteritilsynet, part of the Lottery and Foundation Authority) supervising. No private-operator or foreign licences are available; the Authority enforces against unlicensed offshore sites, and DNS-blocking powers were adopted by the Storting in May 2024 alongside existing payment-blocking. Operator surplus is not taxed as a gambling duty but distributed to sport, culture and voluntary/humanitarian organisations via the 'tippenokkelen' (tipping key). Minimum age is 18, and Norsk Tipping enforces mandatory identification and loss limits.

Tax

No gambling tax on private operators (none exist)

n/a - monopoly surplus to good causes

Norsk Tipping is exempt from ordinary income tax; its surplus is distributed via the 'tippenokkelen' (tipping key) to sport, culture and voluntary/humanitarian organisations rather than collected as a gambling duty.

Key facts

Licence termn/a (statutory monopoly; no fixed-term operator licences)

Regime since2023

Key-person licencesn/a - the operators are the state company (Norsk Tipping) and a regulated foundation (Norsk Rikstoto); there are no personal operator licences.

Player funds & registered playmandatory registered, identified playNorsk Tipping requires registration and ID

National self-exclusionself-exclusion and mandatory global loss limitsNorsk Tipping enforces compulsory loss limits and self-exclusion options

Age & identity verificationminimum age 18; ID requiredall Norsk Tipping games since 2019

Advertisingstrict; foreign operators' marketing restrictedbroadcasters can be ordered to block gambling ads from abroad

EnforcementDNS and payment blocking of unlicensed offshore sitesDNS-blocking powers adopted by the Storting in May 2024

Licence types

No open licensing - exclusive-rights (monopoly) modelNorsk Tipping - lotteries, sports betting, Keno, scratch cards, online games (state-owned)Norsk Rikstoto - horse-race totalisator betting (foundation)Small local lotteries/bingo for non-profit good causes (registered with Lotteritilsynet)

Fees

Operator licencesnone (statutory monopoly)no licences issued to private or foreign operators

Local non-profit lottery permitsmodest registration feessmall lotteries/bingo for good causes are permitted and registered with Lotteritilsynet

Change-watch

2023

New consolidated Gambling Act (pengespilloven) in force 1 January 2023, merging three earlier acts and codifying the exclusive-rights monopoly

2024

Storting adopted DNS-blocking powers (May 2024) to reinforce the monopoly against offshore operators; ongoing EU/EEA scrutiny of the model

Sources

Lotteritilsynet (Norwegian Gaming Authority) - official sitelottstift.no

Government of Norway - gambling policy (regjeringen.no)regjeringen.no

Lov om pengespill (pengespilloven), in force 1 January 2023 - Lovdatalovdata.no

Not legal or tax advice. This is a teaching summary; confirm every figure against the primary regulator (Lotteritilsynet (Norwegian Gaming Authority)) before relying on it.

← The global licensing map