Norway Introduces New Legislation for Player Protection in Bingo Industry
The Norwegian Government has announced new legislative measures targeting player safety within the bingo industry. Set to take effect in 2025, these regulations will enforce stricter requirements for registration and introduce loss limits for online and electronic bingo games to protect vulnerable players.
New Regulations for Online and Electronic Bingo
Starting January 1, 2025, online bingo suppliers in Norway will be required to comply with additional registration requirements per game, marking the first stage of the new regulations.
Further updates will take effect on September 1, 2025, focusing on land-based bingo halls with electronic bingo machines, introducing loss limits to curb excessive spending.
Enhancing Player Safeguarding in Bingo Halls
The updated legislation specifically addresses electronic bingo, a popular game in Norwegian bingo halls that currently operates without loss limits. Electronic bingo, displayed on digital screens with fast-paced virtual draws, has raised concerns for player protection.
Norway’s Culture and Equality Minister, Lubna Jaffery, explained, “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.”
Collaboration with Industry Stakeholders
In response to feedback from industry associations, the Norwegian government has taken a phased approach to implementing the new regulations, with Minister Jaffery acknowledging the challenges that these changes bring. “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,” Jaffery stated.
Strengthening Responsible Gambling Frameworks
The new bingo regulations align with Norway’s ongoing commitment to responsible gambling. Earlier in the year, the IBIA and the Norwegian Bookmakers’ Association (NBO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster safer gaming regulation in the country.
