Norwegian broadcaster NRK has investigated the country’s illegal online gambling market, using confidential documents obtained after a major breach of Curaçao’s gambling licensing system.
German researcher Lilith Wittmann accessed the Curaçao Gaming Authority’s systems in December 2025 and copied documents from 1,350 gambling licence applications involving operators from 111 countries. The material included ownership details, financial records and personal documents. NRK later received the data as part of an international investigation.
The documents shed new light on companies targeting Norwegian players from Curaçao. Norsk Tipping has the exclusive right to offer the relevant casino gambling in Norway, yet NRK estimates the illegal online gambling market is worth around NOK 2bn.
One company featured by the investigation is CasinoFriday, which NRK says received around 1.5 million visits from Norway over the past year. Norwegian authorities previously investigated the operator and ordered the site to be blocked after finding it offered gambling and Norwegian-language marketing in breach of Norwegian law.
NRK also links Norwegian businessman Robin Reed to FarUp Entertainment, the Curaçao-based company behind CasinoFriday, Shotz and BetFriday. Documents reportedly showed Reed held more than 40% of FarUp at one point. The company generated more than NOK 200m in revenue in 2025.
The investigation signals concerns over Curaçao-based operators using offshore structures to target Norwegian gamblers despite not holding Norwegian gambling licences.
NRK reached out to Reed, who declined to comment on the investigation and said he currently has no direct or indirect ownership interest in the company.
The Norwegian Lottery Authority is assessing whether Polymarket constitutes illegal gambling, with DNS blocking and payment restrictions among the potential enforcement measures
