Norway
Author: Niklas Eriksen
Last Updated: 20 November, 2024
Even though the Norwegian government is still doing its best to prevent locals from wagering on foreign betting sites, many offshore sportsbooks are still available for NO bettors.
🇳🇴 Legal sports betting apps in Norway:
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. T&Cs apply. The bonus is for new depositing customers only. A minimum of €10 first deposit is required. Wagering requirement: 9X (at least 2.00 odds).
18+. New players only. T&Cs apply. First wager with min. €15 stake and 2.00 odds using real money is required. The first deposits via PayPal, Neteller, Paysafe, Skrill or Skrill 1-Tap are excluded from the offer.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
18+. Depositing exclusions and T&C apply. For new customers only. The qualifying wager has to be placed with at least 2.00 odds. The free bet token itself comes with a minimum odds requirement of 1.80.
18+. New players only. Place a 150 NOK qualifying first wager, with at least even odds (2.00), to receive the 100 NOK free bet. This reward can only be used with a single or multiple bet with at least a total odds of 4/5 (1.80). T&Cs apply.
18+. New customers only. T&Cs apply. Promo code GET50 must be used when registering an account. After signing up, bet and settle for at least a total of €50 on four different events or more. Such qualifying wagers can be placed on singles, multiples, and Bet Builders. Offer runs until 23:59 GMT Tuesday 31/09/2024.
Online sports betting in Norway - Despite monopoly, offshore sportsbooks are available
Although close geographically, Scandinavian countries have independent and diverse regulations regarding gambling. Norway, in particular, had a staunch prohibition against all types of betting until wagering on horse race wagering was permitted in 1927 under the Norsk Rikstoto. However, other types of sports betting and gambling were permitted as late as 1992 with the implementation of the Gaming Scheme Act (GSA).
With this 1992 act, Norsk Tipping was officially authorized to carry out sports betting, national lotteries, poker games, and other forms of gambling. This legislation created the two state-owned monopolies currently controlling the entire gambling industry. The Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority (Lotteritilsynet) regulates both of these bodies, and profits go toward sports and cultural projects.
All this means that the two state-owned gambling bodies monopolize all iGaming and sports betting in the country. As such, foreign gambling or betting platforms cannot legally operate in the Norwegian market. However, this does not stop locals from wagering using many offshore casinos, betting sites, and sportsbook apps, as the legal restrictions placed by the Norwegian government apply to these operators rather than the individuals themselves.
While Norsk Tipping monopolizes sports bets and gaming, another state-controlled company, Norsk Rikstoto, controls the horse racing gambling market in the country. Both of these bodies are regulated by The Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority, and profits go toward sports and cultural projects.
So, in a nutshell, Norwegians can definitely place wagers on online betting sites operating with offshore licenses, such as the ones from Malta and Curacao. Money transfers to and from these foreign betting sites face some restrictions, not due to legality but to safeguard Norsk Tipping's domestic gambling monopoly. These transactions do not violate any laws, but consulting a tax expert is advisable to understand applicable tax regulations for significant winnings.
Many Norwegian bettors use third-party apps, like PayPal, ecoPayz, and e-wallets, to process payments. Although local authorities theoretically prohibit these activities, the government has yet to take action against offenders.
Sports betting legislation in Norway
| Is online sports betting legal in Norway? | Yes (restricted) |
| Is in-person sports betting legal? | Yes (restricted) |
| Is daily fantasy sports legal? | No |
| Is horse racing betting legal? | Yes (restricted) |
| Is political betting legal? | Yes |
| Is eSports betting legal? | Yes (restricted) |
| How many legal sports betting apps are there in Norway? | Dozens |
| Legal age for sports betting in Norway? | 18+ |
| Norway's tax rate for betting/gambling winnings | 27% (if the win is over 10,000 NOK - otherwise 0%) |
| Who regulates sports betting in Norway? | The Gaming and Foundation Authority (Lotteritilsynet) |
With the implementation of the Gaming Act in 1992, the Norwegian government officially legalized online sports betting. However, they anointed only two state-owned sites as the permitted bodies in the same act. Through Norsk Tipping, bettors can enjoy an array of sports betting, including eSports markets, whereas Norsk Rikstoto offers locals the opportunity to bet on horse races.
When foreign sports betting apps and sites are included in the mix, the wagering options and available markets are tenfold, and there aren’t really any categories of bets that are not offered.
While DFS is illegal in the country, Norwegians can still access regular fantasy games, such as Elitserien Fantasy, which covers the nation’s top-tier soccer league.
Recent updates from the Norwegian sports betting scene
September 11, 2024: Norway's Conservative party (Høyre) has proposed ending the country's gambling monopoly, potentially leading to a liberalized market by 2028. Inspired by Finland's recent market reforms, the move could open competition beyond the current state monopolies, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, which operate all slot games, lottery, online gambling, sports betting, and horseracing in the country.
June 17, 2024: The defending Fed-Ex champion Viktor Hovland has qualified to represent Norway in the 2024 Summer Olympic men's golf competition in Paris on August 1-4 alongside his countryman Kris Ventura. Online sportsbook Unibet ranks the aforementioned Norwegian golf star among the TOP10 favorites to win the event with the odds +1600.
May 19, 2024: Manchester City's Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland wins the Premier League Golden Boot award for the second time in a row after scoring 27 goals in the 2023-24 season. This was the first solo back-to-back Golden Boot victory after Harry Kane notched the same feat in 2015-17.
May 7, 2024: Nordic sports betting and iGaming operator Paf lowers the annual loss limit for players aged 20-24 to €8,000 ($8,610), down from €10,000. This change, effective immediately, applies to all Paf games, while loss limits for other age groups remain unchanged.
March 31, 2024: The 2024 Eliteserien season starts with Bodø/Glimt as the defending champions and Fredrikstad, Kristiansund, and KFUM Oslo as the newly promoted clubs. This is the 80th season of top-tier soccer in the country.
All legal gambling options in Norway
| Are online casinos legal in Norway? | Yes (restricted) |
| Are retail casinos legal? | No |
| Are social casinos legal? | Yes |
| Is online poker legal? | Yes (restricted) |
| Is the lottery legal? | Yes (restricted) |
Through Norsk Tipping, NO bettors can enjoy various online casino games, including virtual slots, live tables, and card games. If you broaden the view to the offshore online casinos that accept Norwegians as customers, the selection of real-money games will be drastically larger.
Online poker is also fully legal in Norway. However, as Norsk Tipping does not yet offer an online poker platform for Norwegians, local poker enthusiasts have been forced to play at foreign poker sites.
The national lottery is also available through Norsk Tipping.
Other gambling-related news & stories from Norway
November 5, 2024: Norway introduces loss limits for electronic bingo games in halls nationwide under new regulations announced by Culture Minister Lubna Jaffery. The measures will be implemented gradually.
October 10, 2024: Norway's regulator, Lotteritilsynet, investigates Norsk Tipping for potentially violating the Gambling Act, which requires operators to let players block themselves or take breaks from gambling. The issue involves accessibility on the operator's mobile app.
September 30, 2024: Norwegian regulator Lotteritilsynet orders Norsk Tipping to pay NOK4.5m ($428,567) for exceeding jackpot limits under the Gambling Act. KongKasino, an online casino platform owned by Norsk Tipping, mistakenly paid a customer NOK25m instead of the NOK5m maximum due to a technical error. The player reported the issue and returned the excess winnings per the operator's agreement.
April 4, 2024: Norway's stringent gambling regulations could affect international players using Norwegian bank accounts for online betting, as European gambling laws differ significantly by country, with some requiring operators to have a license and others being more permissive.
February 13, 2024: Norway's Gambling Authority, Lotteritilsynet, orders Tiergarten Marketing Ltd, the operator of popular entertainment content platform Schpell.com, to halt all marketing in the country due to violations of gambling advertising laws after Norwegian influencers advertised online casino games on live stream broadcasts.
Norway - Some commonly asked questions (FAQ)
What is the current legal status of sports betting in Norway?
Norway has a unique gambling monopoly system where two state-owned entities are responsible for all betting-related activities. However, as wagering at offshore sportsbooks isn't deemed illegal, many Norwegians opt to wager on such apps and sites instead.
What changes does Norway's sports betting legislation currently face?
The public debate about the effectiveness of Norway's gambling monopoly is growing, as Norwegians quite broadly favor offshore operators. While no legislative changes have been presented, the country will likely move to a licensing system at some point.
How much money do Norwegians spend on gambling?
According to studies, Norwegians spend NOK2,866 ($269.25) annually on the country's gambling monopoly's games. However, one research also shows that 67% of Norwegians opt to wager on offshore gambling sites, so the total amount spent on betting is unclear.
Who are the biggest Norwegian sports stars right now?
The 2023 PGA Tour FedEx Cup winner Viktor Hovland was named the Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year in 2023. Karsten Warholm, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (track and field), and Erling Haaland (soccer) are other current superstars of Norwegian sports.
