Supervision, control and monitoring
Article | Last updated: 11/07/2024 | Ministry of Culture and Equality
The Norwegian Gambling Authority was established in 2001 as a supervisory body for the administration and oversight of private lotteries and state-controlled gaming. The Storting’s intention was to strengthen controls in the growing gaming and lotteries market in Norway.
The Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority carries out oversight and performs it supervisory role through ensuring that monopoly holders Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, as well as private lottery operators, adhere to applicable regulations. In addition, the Authority processes applications for licences submitted by organisations and associations wishing to hold lotteries with turnovers in excess of NOK 200,000.
The Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority is also the supervisory body for the Grassroots Share scheme, and ensures gambling industry compliance with money laundering regulations.
One of the Authority’s key tasks is to prevent any negative impact of lotteries and gaming activities offered in Norway, and to maintain safeguards for problem gamblers. In addition, the Authority is tasked with ensuring that the income from gaming and lotteries is channelled to good causes.
The Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority also holds other responsibilities that are not related to gambling policy, such as supervision and oversight of foundations as per the Foundations Act and the administration of the VAT compensation scheme for voluntary organisations and associations and VAT reimbursement for sports facilities.
Further information about the Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority’s work: About the Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority - lottstift EN
Gaming addiction
Gaming addiction can be defined as a disorder involving frequent and repeated episodes of gaming that dominate a person’s life to the extent that social, professional, material and family relations suffer.
The Government has adopted an action plan against problem gaming for the period 2022-2025 (in Norwegian only) The action plan incorporates three main goals:
- As few people as possible should have problems with gaming
- There should be increased insight into gaming and gaming-related problems, and this knowledge should be disseminated and shared
- Problematic gaming behaviour should be identified at an early stage and sound treatments should be offered in this respect
Population survey
The Norwegian Gambling Authority carries out population surveys at regular intervals in relation to gaming addiction. Results of the most recent survey were published in 2020: The Extent of Gambling- and Computer Game-related Issues in Norge 2019.pdf (uib.no) [in Norwegian]
Do you gamble too much, or do you know somebody who does?
The Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority works in partnership with the Inland Hospital in Sanderud to deliver a helpline for people with gaming problems.