Key Moments:
- The Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality published a proposal on 29 September 2026 to grant Norsk Tipping exclusive rights to online poker.
- The draft suggests stringent limits on losses, buy-ins, and the number of tables, as well as new incident reporting requirements.
- The consultation period is set to close on 29 November 2026, with immediate effect for the regulation if approved.
Government Proposes Monopoly for Online Poker
The Ministry of Culture and Equality has put forward a plan to allow Norsk Tipping the sole right to provide online poker in Norway, a gaming product not presently offered legally in the country. The proposal, released on 29 September 2026, seeks to introduce tighter player protections, including strict loss and buy-in limits and enhanced monitoring requirements.
If accepted, Norsk Tipping would operate the only licensed online poker platform, covering both tournaments and cash games. According to the ministry’s consultation note, Norsk Tipping initially requested this change in May 2024.
Current Landscape and Market Reasons
At present, poker is only permitted in Norway under limited conditions, such as within private homes or at the yearly national championship. Many Norwegians access online poker via unregulated offshore platforms. The ministry is now aiming to channel these players into a regulated, controlled environment with responsible gaming measures in place.
Research by the University of Bergen in 2022 indicated nearly 90,000 Norwegians engaged in online poker annually through non-Norwegian operators. Norsk Tipping estimates this figure to be anywhere between 100,000 and 150,000 today.
The Norwegian Poker Federation (Norsk Pokerforbund) and other advocates have supported the introduction of regulated online poker through Norsk Tipping to ensure responsible gambling limits are maintained.
Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery (Labour Party) said:
‘We know that many Norwegians play online poker. Therefore, it is better that we get a responsible and safer offer here in Norway, rather than unregulated games at foreign, commercial gaming companies that are driven by profit.’
Jaffery added: ‘The most important thing we do in gambling policy is to prevent gambling addiction and other negative consequences.’ (translated from Norwegian)
Proposed Player Protections and Product Limits
| Measure | Proposed Limit |
|---|---|
| Maximum loss | NOK5,000 per calendar day and NOK10,000 per calendar month |
| Maximum loss, players under 20 | NOK2,000 per calendar month |
| Tournament buy-in | NOK2,500 or €250 or $250, including registration fee |
| Cash-game buy-in | NOK1,000 or €100 or $100 |
| Cash-game blinds | NOK2,500 or €250 or $250, including registration fee NOK1,000 or €100 or $100 |
| Tournament breaks | Mandatory five-minute break every hour |
These limits derive from the Ministry of Culture and Equality’s consultation note issued on 29 September 2026.
The proposal also introduces a cap of four simultaneous tables per player. A mandatory five-minute break every hour is specified for tournaments, while cash games do not require scheduled breaks. However, players must have the ability to set their own daily time limits, and Norsk Tipping is expected to integrate these controls into its existing Spillepuls responsible gambling module.
Norsk Tipping’s total monthly loss cap stands at NOK20,000. Since this could allow players to continue at online casino products after reaching the poker limit, the ministry also proposes a barrier between the two verticals, recommending a 15-minute pause when moving from one product to another to reduce risk.
Marketing Restrictions and Regulatory Oversight
The ministry is soliciting feedback on whether online poker promotion should be completely prohibited or heavily restricted. Lotteritilsynet, the country’s gambling regulator, will review the product within a year after its launch.
Incident Reporting and Bingo Disbursement Updates
The draft regulation suggests that gambling operators, including Norsk Tipping, Norsk Rikstoto, bingo hall companies, and those overseeing lottery draws such as Pantelotteriet and Postkodelotteriet, must now report serious incidents to Lotteritilsynet. At this time, operators are not obligated to submit incident reports on a proactive basis.
Regarding bingo, new rules would require organizations to hold a bank account listed in the Register of Non-Profit Organisations (Frivillighetsregisteret) before seeking a bingo license, with payments only sent to active organizations. Should funds remain undistributed, they would be absorbed into Norsk Tipping’s surplus.
- Author
Daniel Williams
