More on the proposals in the white paper on gaming and betting policy

Regulatory model and form of regulation

Following an overall assessment, the Ministry of Culture has proposed retention of the monopoly model.

The Ministry of Culture will draft a new joint act on lotteries, gaming, betting and totalisator games. The Government proposes to give the Ministry of Culture overall responsibility for gaming and betting policy.

The game categories which Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto are permitted offer will be defined by regulation. The Norwegian Gaming Authority will have legislative authority to approve new games in existing game categories, and to approve time-limited pilot projects under the auspices of the regulated service providers. Further, key general rules to prevent negative consequences of gaming and betting activity will be set out in regulations. Norsk Tipping will be authorised to issue detailed supplementary gaming and betting rules.

The distribution of roles between the Ministry of Culture and the Gaming Authority will be streamlined and clarified. The Gaming Authority’s administrative function will be strengthened. The Ministry will no longer act as the appeals body in individual cases.

Measures to promote responsible gaming and betting

One of the Government’s objectives is to ensure that gaming and betting organised via Norsk Rikstoto is registered wherever possible, as in the case of similar services offered by Norsk Tipping. However, the Ministry currently sees no need to introduce a registration requirement for Flax-lodd scratchcards.

Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping will still have power to set their own marketing budgets, but will be required to justify the scale of marketing activities based on channelling considerations.

Monitoring of Norsk Tipping’s success in promoting responsible gaming and betting will remain part of the organisation’s governance model.

Measures to protect Norway’s regulated gaming and betting providers

The Ministry will send proposals for public consultation regarding regulatory changes to improve the effectiveness of the prohibition against the transmission of payments to foreign gaming and betting providers. The Ministry will evaluate the scope for specific Norwegian regulations to combat gaming and betting advertising in television programmes broadcast from other EEA countries. In addition, efforts will be made to secure the inclusion of an explicit exception in respect of gaming and betting advertising in the AMT Directive. The Ministry will investigate the possibility of introducing “DNS warning” (warning that a website is prohibited under Norwegian law) as an informational measure to restrict gaming and betting through unregulated online providers.

Requirements regarding efficient operation and the distribution of gaming and betting profits to good causes

The Ministry will continue to develop Norsk Tipping’s performance measures to ensure its efficient operation.The system for channelling a proportion of players stakes  via Norsk Tipping to good causes should be retained, with current principles continuing to apply. The percentage will be increased from five to seven percent of the staked sum – 10 to 14 percent in the case of the Multix and Instaspill games – after the deduction of payouts.

New model for the distribution of Norsk Tipping’s profits to humanitarian and socially beneficial organisations

Three emergency-response organisations – the Norwegian Red Cross, the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue and Norwegian People’s Aid – will receive a fixed annual percentage equivalent to the grants received by them in 2015. Other organisations can apply on equal terms in accordance with the participation criteria for the scheme and restrictions laid down by the Ministry.

Regulation of the bingo market

Bingo policy should serve two overarching objectives: social responsibility and protection of the monopoly model. Emphasis must also be given to the generation of funds for good causes and protection of bingo’s role as a social arena. The 30-second rule for digital bingo will be changed. Players will be allowed to participate in the main game at bingo halls via the internet. The distribution formula for Belago will be amended to reduce the proportion paid to Norsk Tipping from 40 to 35 percent and increase the proportion distributed to good causes from 25 to 30 percent.