Norway's Ministry of Culture and Equality has proposed allowing state-owned operator Norsk Tipping to offer online poker, expanding the country's exclusive-rights gambling model into a vertical currently served by offshore operators.
Online poker is not currently permitted under Norway's gambling regulations. Poker is allowed in limited circumstances in private homes and through an annual national tournament, leaving players seeking online games without a domestically regulated option.
University of Bergen research indicated that close to 90,000 people played online poker with foreign operators annually. Norsk Tipping's own research estimates that up to 130,000 people play at least once per quarter. The operator originally asked the Ministry to amend the regulations in May 2024.
The proposal forms part of Norway's wider channelisation strategy, under which gambling demand is directed towards Norsk Tipping and horseracing operator Norsk Rikstoto. The country has also tightened restrictions on offshore gambling through payment controls and DNS blocking, which took effect in January 2025.
Under the proposed framework, online poker would have a maximum loss limit of NOK 5,000 ($508) per day and NOK 10,000 per month. Tournament poker would carry a maximum stake of NOK 2,500, while the Ministry proposes a NOK 1,000 maximum stake per cash-game table. Players would also be restricted to four tables simultaneously.
Tournament players would face a mandatory five-minute break after each hour of play. The Ministry has not proposed the same requirement for cash games, but players would be able to set daily time limits. It is also considering a barrier between poker and online casino products, such as a 15-minute break when moving between the two.
The Ministry acknowledged that making online poker legally available could attract new players and has requested consultation responses on whether marketing should be prohibited or permitted only to a limited extent. The Norwegian Lottery Authority would assess Norsk Tipping's responsible gambling framework within one year of launch.
The consultation also proposes mandatory incident reporting requirements for gambling operators. This follows a period of heightened scrutiny of Norsk Tipping, with the regulator reporting multiple serious operational and responsible gambling failures during 2025.
Minister of Culture and Equality, Lubna Jaffery, 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."
The consultation closes on 29 November. The Ministry said the shortened consultation period is intended to allow the regulations to enter into force quickly and enable Norsk Tipping to begin establishing the product.
Last week, Norsk Tipping announced it would hold compensation draws for approximately 17,000 players after a NOK 5m settlement was approved in a group lawsuit concerning historic Eurojackpot and Lotto draw errors. The underlying issue previously resulted in a NOK 46m regulatory penalty.
Norway's regulated gambling framework gives Norsk Tipping exclusive rights to major gambling activities, while Norsk Rikstoto holds exclusive rights for horseracing and trotting betting
