Key points:
- Norway is set to introduce two pieces of legislation for the registration of games per supplier & electronic bingo loss limits
- The new laws will not come into full effect until 1 September 2025
In an attempt to introduce additional player safeguarding measures to its bingo industry, the Norwegian Government has announced new legislation surrounding registration and loss limits, imposed on online bingo suppliers and land-based venues with electronic bingo.
Set for implementation in 2025, the first of the two legislative changes will come into force on 1 January – and will outline additional requirements for registered games per supplier. Further, the second of the two regulatory updates will not come into effect until 1 September 2025. This piece of new law pertains to physical bingo venues and will highlight additional requirements for registrations per venue. The consultation document will also include proposed loss limits for electronic bingo machines.
At any given bingo hall, a multitude of ways to engage with the game are likely to be available. One of which is electronic bingo, a form which is displayed on a digital screen, offers quick virtual draws and currently has no loss limit in Norway.
The introduction of this latest piece of legislation seeks to enhance the nation’s player protection measures, following an announcement made in the summer which saw the IBIA and NBO sign a Memorandum of Understanding to promote safe and effective gaming regulation and licencing in the country.
Good to know: In other bingo-related news last week, Drew Barrymore partnered with Bingo Blitz and Hallmark Channel’s Christmas Cruise
Commenting on this latest development, Norway’s Culture and Equality Minister, Lubna Jaffery, said: “Electronic bingo games in bingo halls and online in connection with the bingo venue have for a long time been allowed to operate without loss limits, this has come at the expense of vulnerable players and their relatives.
"That is why we are now putting in place more responsible frameworks around these gambling games.
“We would of course have wanted everything to be in place by the turn of the year, but in this context have chosen to listen to the industry associations who have given a good description of the challenges that the changes entail.”
