Norway Updates Strategy to Tackle Match Manipulation
Norwegian authorities and sports organizations have unveiled a coordinated strategy to tackle the manipulation of sports competitions. The updated plan, set for 2025–2028, emphasizes the distribution of responsibilities, expanded preventive efforts, and better detection systems across national and international networks.
Clear Division of Responsibilities Among Stakeholders
The Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority (Lotteritilsynet) remains the key coordinator for the national effort, managing information flow and partnerships with both domestic and international bodies. According to the strategy, “seamless information sharing among all key stakeholders” and “maintaining the capacity to assess and analyze incoming data” are among its core responsibilities.
Sports organizations are expected to contribute with domain-specific expertise and implement systems to promptly report suspicious activity. They are also tasked with embedding manipulation awareness into training programs and enforcing internal disciplinary procedures where necessary.
Betting operators are urged to continuously evaluate risks associated with their offerings, adjust odds or limit markets where manipulation is more likely, and promptly report any irregular activity. Police authorities will maintain a national contact point for threat assessments, while the Ministry of Culture will ensure proper legal and financial frameworks are in place.
Emphasis on Preventive Education and Awareness
The updated strategy prioritizes educational initiatives to strengthen the integrity of sports. Campaigns, seminars, and targeted training for athletes and officials are central to this approach. It highlights the need for sports federations to assign dedicated contact points and promote the use of e-learning tools, especially in disciplines considered vulnerable.
The strategy also calls for threat assessments to be conducted regularly across various sports, noting that understanding the specific risks and vulnerabilities is essential to designing tailored awareness programs. As stated in the plan, “the preventive work must reflect the threat level for each sport and its target group.”
Enhancing Detection and Response Capabilities
Improving systems that can detect suspicious betting patterns and ensuring stakeholders can legally share personal data are key goals for the coming years. The document emphasizes the necessity of international cooperation, particularly with actors who can provide insights on global betting markets, unusual odds shifts, and irregular behaviors during matches.
A new national law is under development to support data sharing and reinforce the role of the national platform. The strategy suggests that further legislative amendments may be required during the period to strengthen enforcement capabilities.
It also stresses the importance of visibility for whistleblowing channels and outlines the need for sufficient expertise and resources to investigate suspected cases of manipulation.