(AsiaGameHub) – By: Jonathan Barrett
Norway’s gambling regulator is patting itself on the back for fewer Norwegians using unlicensed offshore operators. But the win comes with glaring red flags—young players flocking to the state’s KongCasino and higher losses to offshore sites despite the drop in users. The PR spin hides deeper problems in the country’s monopoly model.
Lotteritilsynet’s data shows 2.6% of Norwegian gamblers used unlicensed foreign firms in 2025, down from 3.8% in 2024. KongCasino, run by state operator Norsk Tipping, doubled its user base to 400k over five years (from 200k in 2020). Last year alone, it gained 50k new customers—many of them 18-year-olds opening their first gambling accounts.
Yet Norwegian players lost NOK 1.9bn to offshore operators in 2025, 500 million kroner more than 2024. The regulator says it changed its calculation method, but the jump is hard to ignore. Director Atle Hamar blames offshore sites for problem gambling, noting some 18-year-olds are already experienced players—introduced via gaming or influencer marketing by foreign firms.
Norway’s state monopoly on gambling is an outlier in Europe. Finland will launch a competitive regulated market in July 2027, but Norway’s regional authorities resist change. They protect the monopoly because it funds sports. Proposals to open the market have gained little traction so far.
The regulator is taking steps to curb risks. Last year, Norsk Tipping made self-exclusion easier—leading to seven times more players blocking themselves. Lotteritilsynet also proposes a series of questions for players to complete before gaming, aiming to help them make wiser choices with risky games like casino slots.
Norway’s gambling monopoly will struggle to contain young players’ offshore risks as its regulatory fixes fail to address the root of the problem.
Author bio: Jonathan Barrett, lead focus editor for an independent overseas public affairs weekly specializing in European regulatory policy and governance.