Norwegian Parliament Debates New Measures to Tighten Controls on Offshore Online Casinos

14 October 2026

Norway's parliament adopts amendments to law enabling DNS blocking of unauthorized gambling sites

Norwegian Parliament has approved amendments to the country's Gambling Act, empowering the National Gaming Authority to order internet service providers to DNS-block websites offering gambling to Norwegian residents without proper authorization.

The new legislation, named Lovvedtak 48 (2023–2024), was voted through by the Storting after a lengthy debate and amendments submitted throughout 2023-2024. The final vote on 4 April 2024 and governmental sanction on 14 May 2024 set in motion a process culminating in entry into force on 1 January 2025.

The law gives the Norwegian Lottery Authority (Lotteritilsynet) explicit power to instruct internet providers to block gambling websites that: 1. Offer games of chance such as casino, poker or betting 2. Market those gambling products to or are known to take Norwegian residents as customers 3. Do not have a licence from Lotteritilsynet to operate in Norway

Prior to issuing a DNS-blocking order, Lotteritilsynet must first attempt to contact the illegal operator and, where possible, utilise less invasive enforcement tools. The Authority will also need to balance the competing interests involved, taking into account European freedom of expression and information rights. Any blocking order can be challenged or appealed.

According to figures cited by the Government in the 19 March 2024 parliamentary debate, operator marketing of unlicensed overseas gambling sites is contributing to what the state deems an unhealthy prevalence of problem gambling among Norwegians: an estimated 23,000 Norwegian residents have gambling issues, while 93,000 more are at risk. Logistical and accessibility issues mean around half of Norwegians are unsure of the law or think these offshore betting sites are legal.

The regulated and taxed state monopoly on gambling is one of the integrity features of Norway's state that enjoys broad political support. Protecting consumers by directing them to legally licensed destinations remains only a small component of Norwegian policy-making. Alongside concerns raised about the effectiveness of DNS-blocking, the law was critiqued for potentially affecting Norwegian citizens' reliable internet access.

Mixed reactions to DNS blocking measures

While no technology is foolproof, the law aims to disrupt the persistent marketing of offshore gambling to Norwegian residents. Some internet service providers expressed caution that DNS-block cannot guarantee perfect functionality but would hamper access. Operators on the targeted websites have yet to indicate their plans for customers in Norway going forward.

Freedom of expression and data protection concerns were highlighted during debates. Norway's opposition party Venstre achieved partial success when the government accepted amendments requiring consultation with the country's data privacy watchdog, the Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet). The final law sees the Datatilsynet advising on DNS safeguards against blocking legal content, while maintaining regulatory flexibility.

The legal landscape remains complex for unlicensed gambling operators, with little clarity on exactly which offshore operators may be primarily targeted. Furthermore, whilst authorities have emphasized that the law primarily aims at operators near Norway, gaming providers based in more distant jurisdictions could find loopholes. The backers of DNS blocking were forced to backtrack on their original proposal, which sought to broadly criminalise online gambling advertising.

In the long term, the DNS-block development forms part of a broader consumer protection initiative. By restricting overseas operator marketing whilst maintaining domestic competition, the government seeks to strengthen Norway's gambling regulations. Some proposals circulating among Nordic neighbours could potentially expand the regulator's toolkit even further.

Regardless of the conceivable pitfalls, the DNS amendments represent Norway's first comprehensive regulatory approach after lengthy deliberation. The amendments reflect both an appetite to increase consumer protection and the government's confidence in the technology - though interestingly, not an international push strong enough to prevent targeted operators from seeking legal protection in their home jurisdictions.