Norway clinches Youtube blocking deal

In an agreement that has wide and almost revolutionary implications, social networking giant Youtube has reportedly agreed to cooperate with the Norwegian online gambling regulator in blocking adverts targeted on Norwegian punters by online operators who are not licensed to operate in the Nordic country.

The Norwegian Gaming Board has confirmed the arrangement, revealing that it sought to augment its now standard ISP and financial transaction blocking strategies by conducting a year-long investigation into videos and promotional advertising placed with the video-sharing giant by online gambling companies.

The investigators assembled a list of around 122 examples of such material placed by marketers for internet gambling firms using the social medium environment to target Norwegian players.  These were apparently submitted to Youtube with a request for assistance in curtailing such activity in the Norwegian market.

Over a year ago, Norwegian regulators admitted that the country’s ban on payments to offshore gambling sites had met with only limited success in a market dominated by the state monopoly Norsk Tipping .

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