Norwegian Gambling Market: Growth of Licensed Operators and Decline in Offshore Brands’ Share
Norwegian regulator Lottstift published a new report on the state of the Norwegian gambling market, according to which players are increasingly betting through local operators, while traffic to offshore brands continues to decline.
Key Market Indicators in 2024
According to the Lottstift report, the following changes were observed in the Norwegian gambling market in 2024:
- The number of players using the state operator Norsk Tipping increased from 1.8 million in 2023 to 2 million in 2024.
- Turnover of Norsk Tipping and Norisk Rikstoto rose from $192 million to $288 million.
- The share of Norwegians betting with offshore operators dropped to 3.8% of the population (169,000).
- Market share of offshore brands fell from 29–35% to 22–28%.
- Turnover of offshore operators decreased from $153.6 million to a range of $105.6–144 million.
Measures to Reduce the Influence of Offshore Operators
Lottstift notes that the high share of users of licensed operators has intensified the problem: more and more young players (aged 18–25) have become involved in online casinos.
Among the most effective measures, the regulator highlights:
- Blocking payments to unlicensed operators.
- Advertising bans on foreign TV channels.
- Cooperation with Facebook, YouTube, and Google to limit the promotion of offshore brands.
Pressure on the Monopoly Model
Despite the growth, there continues to be pressure on the authorities in Norway to abandon the monopoly model in favor of market liberalization.