Norway targets unlicensed operators with new TV banning orders
Norwegian media authority will be able to issue orders against TV channels airing gambling ads
The Norwegian government looks set to amend the country’s Broadcasting Act to allow local authorities to issue binding orders preventing TV channels from advertising unlicensed gambling sites.
Under the proposed law, responsibility for this will be delegated to the Norwegian Media Authority, which will first seek an opinion from the Norwegian Gambling Authority (NGA) before any order can be issued.
Within this remit, NGA regulators will assess whether the advertisement complies with the Norwegian Gambling Act.
Regulators will consider whether the barring of these services is a proportionate action and whether the reasons for imposing such an order outweigh any disadvantages to the media company.
Abid Q. Raja, Norwegian minister of culture and gender equality, said existing prohibition on the marketing of illegal gambling has proved difficult to enforce as many of the operators involved are located outside of Norway.
“We are now proposing amendments to the Broadcasting Act and allowing the Norwegian Media Authority to order Norwegian TV distributors and internet providers to prevent access to illegal marketing,” said Raja.
“For the government, this is a value choice where the interests of people with gambling problems and their relatives must take precedence over financial considerations,” he added.
The government revealed the proposals had received support from both media bodies, as well as humanitarian organisations working in Norway.
However, some TV distributors have said it will be technically challenging to comply with any orders given, insisting the loss of revenue from gambling ads will impact Norwegian film and TV production companies.
At present, state-owned operators Norsk Tipping and Norsk Risktoto are the only companies permitted to offer gambling in Norway.
Over the last two years, the NGA has actively targeted international operators, introducing payment blocking measures on Norwegian domiciled banks and DNS blocks on unlicensed operator sites.
In October the NGA revealed the volume of illegal gambling ads appearing on Norwegian TV had dropped by 19% between August 2018 and July 2019.
NGA director Gunn Merete Paulsen welcomed the proposed amendments, asserting her belief this would reduce the impact of the illegal market.
“The gambling advertising from the foreign companies helps to normalise the most aggressive forms of gaming over the internet, and to maintain and thus legitimise an illegal offer,” said Paulsen.
“We have long been clear that it is important to have a procedure in place to stop this advertisement, and we look forward to the change in the law coming into effect,” she added.