Norwegian App Store drops gambling apps following regulator's complaint

Norway’s gambling regulator has become increasingly aggressive in commercially protecting the market, presently restricted in licensing terms to Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto.

In its latest initiative the Norwegian Gaming Authority asked the App Store to remove apps used by Norwegians, saying that it was motivated by concerns for player safety, protecting problem gamblers and ensuring the national laws are respected.

In a May communication the NGA reminded the App Store of its own rules, which guard against operators that do not have necessary licensing in the locations where the app is used. That’s pretty hard to achieve in Norway, where licensing is so restricted.

The regulator was successful, with App Store removing a number of apps, prompting NGA spokesman Frank Hoff Hana, to warn:

“According to the Norwegian Gaming and Lottery Acts, only Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto can offer and market their online gambling services in Norway, It is prohibited for all other gambling operators without a Norwegian license to offer or market gambling services in Norway.

“The aim of this prohibition is primarily to protect consumers in Norway from developing gambling problems.”