Key points:
- Foreign gambling operators in Norway saw revenue drop from NOK 1.6bn to NOK 1.3bn between 2023-2024
- Licensed operators Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto gained players and increased revenue to NOK 3.1bn
- Concerns are growing about young players (18-25) engaging in high-risk gambling behaviour, prompting new protective measures
The Norwegian Lottery Authority has released its annual report showing a continued decline in foreign gambling activity, alongside a marked increase in domestic gaming participation.
According to the report, over 2 million people played online with Norsk Tipping in 2024, up from 1.8 million in 2023. Norsk Rikstoto also reported a rise in users.
Revenue from games that directly compete with foreign operators increased from NOK 2.6bn ($285m) in 2023 to NOK 3.1bn in 2024.
Meanwhile, foreign gaming companies saw a drop in net turnover from NOK 1.6bn to NOK 1.3bn over the same period.
Commenting on these results, Tore Bell, Director of the Norwegian Lottery Authority, stated: “The foreign market is getting smaller year by year. We see that the number of players at the exclusive operators is increasing and that their turnover on games in competition with the foreign operators is increasing.
“In addition to the foreign market shrinking, more and more people are saying that they played Norwegian games last time they played, and they play Norwegian games the most.”
Despite the shift, foreign operators still maintain a 22–28% market share in the most high-risk games, such as online casinos.
Good to know: Tore Bell emphasised that future efforts to bring remaining players into the regulated market may require “very special measures”
One area of concern highlighted in the report is the behaviour of younger players, particularly those aged 18–25. Authorities have observed a trend of high-risk gaming patterns among this demographic, raising concerns about potential long-term harm.
The report urges Norsk Tipping to reduce the risk associated with online casino and computer games targeted at younger adults.
This news follows January’s implementation of stricter monthly loss limits for young players – part of Norway’s broader regulatory push to mitigate gambling-related harm, particularly among vulnerable groups.
