The Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality is accelerating public consultations that propose changes to national gambling laws, aiming to permit the state-owned company, Norsk Tipping, to host online poker legally for the first time. The consultation was published on September 29 and is part of a larger initiative to attract players away from unregulated foreign platforms and into the regulated framework.
The proposed amendments would allow Norsk Tipping to offer two forms of poker: tournament and cash games, referred to as "nettpoker". This move comes as a recognition of poker's mix of chance and skill and the existing prevalence of unregulated sites.
Current legislation requires Norsk Tipping to manage games considered to have "special public control" due to significant stakes or associated risks. The consultation emphasizes responsible gambling with strict design and control measures intended to mitigate harm, while also keeping the games appealing enough to attract players from illicit sites.
Under the new proposals, players would have a daily loss limit of NOK5,000 (approximately $521) and a monthly limit of NOK10,000. For individuals under 20, the monthly limit would be set at NOK2,000. Players in tournaments would face a buy-in cap of NOK2,500, while cash game buy-ins would be limited to NOK1,000, with blinds capped at NOK10 for the big blind and NOK5 for the small blind.
To promote responsible play, tournament participants would need to take a mandatory five-minute break after every hour of play. Cash game players can set their personal time limits, and Norsk Tipping is expected to put in place monitoring tools to facilitate this. Additionally, players would be limited to playing at a maximum of four tables at the same time to help maintain control over their gambling. If a player transitions directly between poker and online casino games, a 15-minute enforced pause would occur.
The Ministry of Culture and Equality also sought feedback on the possibility of banning or heavily regulating online poker marketing to protect younger or more vulnerable users who might be lured in by poker's cultural appeal.
In another significant proposal, the Ministry suggested that major gambling operators, including Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, be mandated to report serious incidents to Lotteritilsynet, creating an environment of greater transparency and enabling earlier regulatory actions.
Administrative reforms have also been proposed concerning the distribution of local bingo revenues. Operators would need verified bank accounts linked to the national Voluntary Organisations Register and must maintain active registration status when payments are processed. Any unclaimed funds would revert to Norsk Tipping according to existing rules.
The Norsk Pokerforbund, or Norwegian Poker Federation, has expressed support for a domestic regulated poker product, citing it as a safer alternative to unregulated platforms.
Norway's current gambling regulations instate a state monopoly which prohibits commercial operators from marketing to Norwegian players. This system has led to several grey market poker operators withdrawing from the country in recent years. Notably, PokerStars pulled out in 2023 while both Unibet and 888 have ceased their local offerings.
A 2022 survey by the University of Bergen, referenced by the ministry, revealed that nearly 90,000 Norwegians engaged in online poker annually via foreign platforms. Research from Norsk Tipping estimates this figure could be between 100,000 and 150,000 players each year, with an estimated 130,000 active players in any given quarter.
Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery (Labour) highlighted harm reduction as a key motivation behind these regulatory changes. "Many Norwegians play online poker. It is better that we get a responsible and safer offer here in Norway, rather than unregulated games at foreign, commercial gaming companies," she stated.
