Norway

Norway maintains one of Europe's last full state monopolies over gambling. There are no commercial licences: Norsk Tipping holds exclusivity over betting, lottery and online games, while Norsk Rikstoto controls horse racing, and only charitable lottery permits exist outside these bodies. Both online casino and betting are therefore closed to private operators. The regulator, Lotteritilsynet, does not levy a GGR-based licence tax; instead the monopoly's surpluses are distributed to good causes, and specific levy rates are unverified. Enforcement against offshore operators has intensified - a DNS-blocking power took effect in January 2025, with the first orders issued to internet service providers in March 2025 to block 57 illegal gambling sites. The monopoly's political footing was reaffirmed by the September 2025 general election, which returned a Labour government committed to the monopoly course; industry observers see around 2028 as the earliest realistic window for any licensing reform, and even that is speculative. The monopoly has not been without difficulty: in June 2025 a Eurojackpot error at Norsk Tipping sent roughly 30,000 false win notifications, leading to the CEO's resignation and a finding of legal breach. For operators, Norway remains effectively closed, with market access possible only through unlicensed cross-border supply that regulators are increasingly targeting via site-blocking. The defining feature is political durability - the monopoly enjoys cross-party support, and near-term liberalisation appears unlikely despite persistent offshore play.