Alright, let’s dive into the world of gambling in Norway, mates. We’re gonna spill the beans about Norway’s betting scene – from its wild past to the legal mumbo-jumbo right now. Wanna know how to pick the best online casinos? We’ve got ya! Plus, we’ll give you a rundown of the top online joints that welcome our Viking pals. We’ll also clue you in on casino bonuses and the low-down on sports bets, lotteries, and poker. And, of course, we’ll chat about the hottest payment methods and drop some names of big-shot game providers.
Best Online Casinos For Norway People
Now, even with the dicey gambling scene in Norway, there ain’t no ban on hitting up online casinos. So, players can totally check out some of the big-league international casinos with all the right licenses.
There’s a lil’ hitch though. With some bank bans on sending moolah to foreign casinos, you might hit a snag if you’re tryna use your bank card. But don’t sweat it, there are some workarounds with other payment methods. We’ll get into that jazz in a bit, and also give you the 411 on how to spot a rockin’ online casino. And now, feast your eyes on our list of the best online casinos welcoming the Norwegians:
Back in the day, like mid-last century, Norwegians started getting a taste for gambling. Whether it was homegrown ventures or picking up tricks from abroad, the scene was getting lit. But let’s keep it real, the Norwegian government has always been kinda tight about gambling.
The first big-shot in the game was Norsk Tipping, which kicked off in 1948. It wasn’t all government-owned from the get-go. It was also in cahoots with the Norwegian Football Association and the Norwegian Sports Association. Eventually, the government scooped up all its shares, basically turning the gambling scene into their own playground. Originally, these guys were all about football bets and some lottery action. Over time, they expanded their repertoire, and now they’ve got:
Jackpot games like Lotto, Viking Lotto, Joker, and Keno
Skill games, think Tipping and Oddsen
Scratch-offs, like Flask
TV games – like Extra
There’s another big name in the game, Norsk Rikstoto, set up in 1982. They started with just the V6 totalizer, but by ‘96 they had the green light to handle all totalizers in Norway.
On the legal side of things, lotteries were one of the first gambling games to go legit. The law game started in 1902 with the Norwegian code, laying down the law on how the game’s played and how to get a license to join the party.
In 1927, the Totalisator Act hit the scene, laying down the law for betting on horse races. This gig was handed off to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Jumping to 1992, the Gaming Act came out, giving Norsk Tipping the exclusive rights for running lotteries and placing bets on football matches.
Another big-time act was the Lottery Act of 1995, which detailed the ins and outs of running lotteries. The cherry on top? It set the foundation for sponsoring big-deal sectors like sports, healthcare, and medicine.
Casino games, including those super-popular slot machines, freely rocked on until 2007. That year, they got the boot big time, mainly because of rising issues, like peeps getting too hooked on gambling.
But, in 2009, the ban got flipped when those old-school slot machines transformed into “Interactive Video Terminals”.
As for online casinos, there’s no red tape stopping them in Norway. However, there’s no license for foreign companies to grab. The home team, The Norwegian Gaming Authority (Lotteritilsynet), keeps tabs on the big players, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, with the former even running an online casino.
Legality and regulation of gambling
Currently, Norway’s got some quirky laws that regulate gambling. According to the Gaming Act (1992) and Lottery Act (1995), here’s the legal lowdown on gambling in Norway:
State-run and private lotteries, plus those instant-win games.
Online casinos and bookies run by the big shots, Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.
Horse racing totalizers.
Ground-level sports betting, including on football matches.
Private gambling gigs for kicks, not for making a quick buck.
Interactive Video Terminals (IVT).
Speaking of IVTs, they’re basically your classic slot machines with a little twist. To play, you need a special card and there are some rules to the game:
You gotta be at least 18.
Daily betting cap is 400 NOK.
Monthly limit can’t go over 2200 NOK.
Forced game break after an hour.
Max bet is 50 NOK.
No turbo-mode; each play takes at least 3 seconds.
All terminals are linked up in one big network.
When it comes to online casinos, the state-run company Norsk Tipping holds the reins. However, there’s no stopping folks from trying their luck at offshore online casinos. A heads up though: players might hit a snag when charging up their accounts with a bank card. In 2010, the government told Norwegian banks to put the kibosh on such transactions. Still, many offshore online casinos find sneaky ways to accept Norwegian bank cards, or they just roll with alternative deposit methods.
Choosing the best online casinos in Norway
First off, when you’re thinking of diving into online casinos, there are some key points you gotta look out for. Top of the list? Make sure they’re legit and have a current license. Player reviews can also spill the tea about the casino’s rep. Next, peek at the bonus deals they’re throwing down and check out the payment options they’ve got in play. Also, don’t sleep on checking their support team’s hours and if their site plays nice with your mobile. We’re gonna deep dive into all of this below.
Legality and Safety
Since Norway doesn’t have its own unique online casino license, you need to figure out where you’re gonna roll the dice. You can either hit up the state-run online casino or explore offshore joints. Now, if you’re cool with the local scene, that’s groovy. But for foreign companies, there’s some stuff you gotta know. The big dogs in the international commission world are Curacao and MGA. These guys hand out most of the licenses, and having their seal of approval means you’re in safe hands.
User Feedback
Before you start throwing down your cash, scope out what other players are saying. This can give you the lowdown on the casino’s vibe and how they treat their peeps. You wanna know if drama pops up often and if the casino’s quick to squash it in the player’s favor. Local review sites like norgekasino.com and svindel.info can hook you up, as can English sites like onlinecasinorank.org/countries/norway.
Bonuses & Promotions
With so many online casinos trying to woo you, keep your eyes peeled for their bonus offers. The best Norwegian online joints will have a welcome bonus that’s the whole shebang, plus some regular perks. We really zone in on this in our reviews since everyone loves getting some extra bang for their buck. Bottom line, our list only features casinos that are down to give players solid bonus terms. We’ll chat more about typical casino bonuses later in the article.
Payment Systems
One thing that separates the big players from the small fries is the variety of deposit methods. Lots of folks are sketched out using their credit cards because of potential hassles or oversharing their bank deets. As a result, the top Norwegian online casinos always have some backup payment options, like e-wallets, prepaid card services, or cryptocurrencies.
Customer Service
These days, 24/7 support is pretty standard, so it’s really about how on-the-ball they are. Most top-notch online casinos have a support team that’ll hit you back in minutes and is always down to help or share the 411. A bonus? Chatting in Norwegian, which can make the whole thing a lot smoother for players.
Mobile Adaptation
This part’s a biggie for those players who dig gaming on the go or just lounging on the couch. Since smartphones have long stopped playing second fiddle to desktop computers, heaps of folks prefer to get their game on with ’em. As a result, any top-notch online casino is gonna be all about that mobile-friendly vibe or even rock its own gaming app. Keep this in mind when you’re scouting out your gaming joint.
Bonuses and promotions for Norwegian players
Now, let’s get down to brass tacks and break down the main types of bonuses in Norwegian online casinos. First up, you gotta watch out for that welcome bonus, which most kickin’ casinos offer as a whole package deal. Once you’ve sucked that dry, you’re looking at a steady stream of bonus action that’ll keep those freebies coming. And don’t even get me started on the tournaments and races hosted by the casino or its game providers. We’ll get to all that juicy stuff with some real-deal examples.
Welcome Bonus
Like I said before, this bad boy’s what greets you right out of the gate after you sign up. In most joints, it’s a package deal spread out over several deposits. With this bundle, you can score some extra cash on your deposit, or even snag a bunch of free spins.
Regular Player Bonuses
Frequent flyers at online casinos can count on some sweet swag courtesy of the regular bonus program. Think no-deposit bonuses, monthly cashback, weekly reloads, and special gifts that you can only nab at the casino. And let’s not forget those tiered reward programs that’ll keep you climbing the ranks.
Races and Tournaments
Races and tournaments are special promos that the casino and its providers cook up for all players. Just sign up, and you can hit the slots from the list, earning tourney points as you go. Rack up those points, and you’ll shoot up the leaderboard. The top dogs walk away with the biggest prizes. Here’s what BetAmo’s got going on at the moment:
Lucky Spin – A daily race with a prize pot of €1,000 + 1,000 FS, including all of BetAmo’s slots
Table Battle – A weekly showdown in live table games, with a total prize pot of €2,022
Free Spin Challenge – A daily race with three stages, each dishing out 250 free spins
Drops & Wins – A tourney run by Pragmatic Play, shelling out €1,000,000 each month
Spinomenal Universe – A tournament by provider Spinomenal, doling out over €100,000
Sports betting in Norway
Sport betting’s legit in Norway, man. It’s run by Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto, and it’s all under the government’s wing. But just like online casinos, there’s a ton of foreign bookies tryna get a piece of the pie in Norway. Big names? Think Unibet, Vbet, Betsson, Parimatch, and MelBet.
When it comes to sports, Norwegians are all in. They’re mad about winter sports, no doubt. But they also dig the “summer” stuff, especially team games. So, we’ve whipped up a list of the hottest sports in Norway.
Cross-country skiing is like, THE sport there. Loads of Norwegians don’t just watch it on the tube, but they’re out there hitting the tracks. It’s their go-to weekend activity, keeps ’em in sick shape. Big shots like Petter Northug and Marit Bjørgen, who’ve blown up way beyond Norway, give the sport mad cred.
Biathlon’s a close second. It’s got that skiing vibe but with a twist – they’ve got guns! Makes it a whole lot more spicy to watch, but tougher to master.
Handball’s this badass team sport, kinda like soccer. The women’s team? Killing it. They’ve been to over 20 finals, snatched 3 world champs, 8 European titles, and bagged 2 Olympic golds.
Soccer – might surprise some, but it’s only fourth in the popularity game. Still, it’s the most played sport, with almost 9% of Norwegians getting their kick. But in the TV ratings game? It’s trailing the above.
Alpine skiing wraps up our list. It’s got a mix of stuff, like snowboarding. The thrill-seekers are all over it, mostly ’cause it’s a helluva show to watch.
Convenient payment systems
Back in 2010, the bigwigs decided to take a swing at offshore online casinos and bookie joints. Part of their game plan? Telling Norwegian banks to put the kibosh on processing transactions for these online casinos. That move made a bunch of gamblers hustle for other deposit methods, and casinos scrambling for fixes. While we can’t spill the beans about the bank’s ins and outs, we can give you the lowdown on Norway’s top payment systems. So, check out our quick and dirty list of the hottest deposit methods in Norwegian online casinos.
PaySafeCard
A big name on the block that lets you buy prepaid cards. It’s a favorite for those dodging traditional bank cards. Just a few clicks, and boom! You’ve bought yourself a prepaid card from your bank account. It’s like using any other card, but with an extra layer of sneakiness.
E-wallets
E-wallets are another slick move. Setting up an account is a breeze. Once you’re in, you can top up however you like and shoot money around the globe, even when dropping some dough into an online casino. The big dogs in this game are Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, and Vipps.
EcoCard
This bad boy is crafted by the folks at EcoPayz. It’s a virtual/plastic card that can be used, among other things, to boost your online casino balance. The cherry on top? No need for a credit/debit card or a bank account. Your money’s chilling straight on EcoPayz servers.
Visa/MasterCard
Worth mentioning these old-timers since pretty much every grown-up in Norway’s got either a bank account or a card. You can try to slap your cash into an online casino using one, but don’t bet the farm on it. Especially with MasterCard, there can be a snag when trying to pull your winnings.
Cryptocurrencies
Topping up your online casino balance with crypto? It’s a game-changer. Speed, simplicity, and all above board. Buying crypto with a bank card is a cakewalk. Right after, you can whisk it to your online casino account and be rolling the dice or spinning the wheels in minutes. And the icing on the cake? You’ll only fork out a small fee, no matter how big your transaction is.
NOTIFY Cryptos got the nod as digital assets way back in 2013. As a result, Norway’s bigwigs and central bank aren’t throwing shade or putting the brakes on the crypto game in the country.
That said, you gotta know that when you hustle with crypto, you’re looking at getting taxed on those gains, kinda like with real estate or stocks. But hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t use your crypto to buy stuff online, whether it’s some cool gear or tossing some cash into an online casino or betting shop.
Popular gambling providers in Norway
Norwegian gamers are picky customers when they’re on the hunt for online casino action. Bottom line? The top dogs are the providers cranking out quality stuff and giving a nod to local vibes. Here’s a breakdown of the most lit game providers in Norway:
Pragmatic Play
In today’s scene, good luck finding an online casino that doesn’t have these guys in the mix. They’re a big hit with both players and casinos, and it’s no mystery. They roll out some top-tier games, packed not just with eye candy, but a ton of slick game features.
Play’N’Go
A powerhouse from Sweden that’s been in the game for over two decades. They’ve pumped out a wild variety of games over the years and even carved out their own slot series. The Norwegians dig ’em for the rich variety of themes and gameplay.
Yggdrasil
These folks are all about that Viking lore, so it’s no shocker they’re big in Norway. Beyond the cultural touches, they come up with games that are on point in design and pack some fresh ideas.
Evolution Gaming
The big kahuna of live dealer games, with a stable of renowned brands under their belt. They’ve made waves with their live games, which aren’t just your run-of-the-mill table and card games. They’ve got some wicked spins on the classics (like Lighting Roulette) and some dope game shows (think Mega Ball, Deal or no Deal).
Microgaming
Another seasoned player, these guys are all about that jackpot action. Most of their slots have tons of jackpot twists, giving players the chance to hit it big any time. And it’s that high-reward potential that the Norwegians can’t get enough of.
Land-based casinos in Norway
Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a ground casino in Norway, you’re outta luck. Those bad boys are illegal there. But hey, don’t pack your bags for a neighboring country just yet. If you’ve got the itch to toss some dice, there are companies offering special “gambling cruises.” Basically, these are boat trips, from big to small, where you can also roll the dice in onboard casinos. Let’s chat about a couple of the big players.
Norwegian Encore: This massive cruise ship, run by the Norwegian company NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line), hit the waters in 2019 and since then, it’s been all the rage in Norway. The ship is rocking its own casino, the Encore Casino, located on deck 7. The casino’s arsenal is pretty stacked with around 300 gaming machines (slots, video poker) and more than 25 tables for card games (like blackjack, poker, craps, and roulette). Oh, and they’ve got a dedicated poker room hosting some big-time tournaments.
Norwegian Joy: Another NCL cruise ship, the Norwegian Joy has been cruising since 2017, taking folks to spots like Panama, the Caribbean, Mexico, Bermuda, and more. The ship also boasts a massive casino, jam-packed with over 310 gaming machines from different developers (EGT Interactive, Bally, Aristocrat, Azure) and about 26 tables (roulette, craps, blackjack, poker), as well as specialty games like the “money wheel”. They frequently host slot tournaments, golf tournaments, and more. And, of course, they’ve got their own poker room.
Lotteries and other gambling entertainment in Norway
Lotteries are big in Norway. The major ones are managed by the state-run company Norsk Tipping. What’s cool is that a slice of the dough these lotteries pull in gets funneled into supporting social sectors like sports, education, and health. Let’s deep dive into some of the top lotteries run by this company.
Lotto: This is Norway’s main national lottery. Draws happen every Saturday at 7:45 pm local time. A ticket will set you back 50 NOK, and for that price, you get 2 basic lines. Once you’ve got your ticket, you pick 7 numbers between 1 and 34, or you can go for a quick pick. During the draw, there’s also a bonus ball, but you don’t have to pick that one.
For an extra 20 NOK, you can join the Joker bonus game. The objective here is to correctly guess a sequence of 5 numbers. The more numbers you nail, the fatter the prize. The minimum jackpot is 2,500,000 NOK, and it’s progressive, which means it rolls over to the next draw if no one wins. The biggest jackpot to date was in 2012, when someone pocketed a cool 46 million kroner.
In the main lottery, there are 5 prize categories:
Prize category
Necessary matches
Chance of fallout
1
7
1 to 5 379 616
2
6 + bonus ball
1 to 768 516
3
6
1 to 29 558
4
5
1 to 729
5
4
1 to 52
Vikinglotto: A well-known international lottery where the players come from all over, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Estonia. For the Norwegians, a ticket sets you back 80 NOK. The draw happens every Wednesday at 9 pm sharp.
After you’ve snagged a ticket, you gotta pick 6 numbers from 1 to 48, plus an extra Viking number between 1 and 8. The starting jackpot’s a cool 3 million euros, and it can shoot up to a whopping 35 million euros. If nobody hits the jackpot before it maxes out, it rolls down to the next prize tier. The biggest jackpot to date? That was on April 11, 2018, with a massive 33.2 million euros up for grabs.
Overall, this lottery’s got 8 different prize levels to try your luck.
Prize category
Necessary matches
Chance of fallout
1
6 + bonus ball
1 to 98 172 096
2
6
1 to 14 024 585
3
5 + bonus ball
1 to 389 572
4
5
1 to 55 653
5
4 + bonus ball
1 to 7061
6
4
1 to 1086
7
3 + bonus ball
1 to 428
8
3
1 to 61
Another game that’s big in Norway? Poker. But, it’s a bit dicey because of its “gray” legal status. Bricks-and-mortar poker games? Mostly a no-go in Norway unless it’s a home game or charity gig. So, those gambling cruises we mentioned earlier? They’re kind of your best bet.
Online poker? Now that’s a different beast. There isn’t a clear-cut law about playing poker online, so Norway’s flooded with top-notch online poker rooms like PokerStars, GGpoker, 888Poker, Betsson, and a bunch more.
Reliability and safety of online casinos in Norway
Since Norway’s a bit tight-lipped about giving out local licenses to online casinos, Norwegian players really only got two moves: either play on the state-run online casino or roll the dice with offshore sites. Now, the first option’s clear enough, but the offshore thing? Let me break it down.
These foreign sites operate under international licenses like MGA or Curacao. That means they’ve got to stick to international standards and play by the rules. So, if you’re playing on any big online casino with one of these licenses, you’re good – it’s legit and safe. Scam cases? Rare. But if something smells fishy, players can always shoot an email to the gaming commission and sort things out.
Conclusion
The gambling scene in Norway’s a bit of a mixed bag. They’ve pretty much axed most popular forms of gambling, including land-based casinos. Sports betting and bookies, as well as lotteries and bingo, are all good to go as long as they’re run by the state. Online casinos operating in Norway? That’s a no-no. But playing on them isn’t illegal. So, Norwegian players can hit up foreign online casinos, bookies, and poker rooms without breaking a sweat about the law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any land-based casinos in Norway?
No, the activity of land-based casinos is prohibited in Norway. But there are large sea cruises, on board of which operate quite large casinos.
Are online casinos legal in Norway?
Formally, the activity of online casinos is prohibited on the territory of Norway, with the exception of government sites. But playing in foreign online casinos is not prohibited, as a consequence, there are many foreign offices on the markets.
Can I play poker in Norway?
Offline poker is banned, except for charity tournaments and “home” games. Online poker is not regulated, so you are free to play in foreign poker rooms.
Is sports betting legal in Norway?
Sports betting is completely legal, provided that it is conducted by state-run betting shops. But as with online casinos, you can always opt for offshore betting offices that are not subject to Norway’s laws.
Is cryptocurrency legal in Norway?
Yes, cryptocurrency is completely legal within Norway. It also has the status of a “digital asset” and is subject to laws similar to the laws on shares.
23.01.2022 | Date updated: 17 July 2024
0