Norway’s state-run gambling model could soon face a major change. With the next general election scheduled for September 8, the Progress Party is renewing calls to end the national gambling monopoly.

Speaking at a May conference hosted by the Norwegian Online Gaming Association (Norsk Bransjeforening for Onlinespill), MP Silje Hjemdal reiterated her party’s long-standing position that Norway must move towards a liberalised market. The call echoes the Progress Party’s 2021 election manifesto and gains momentum as similar reforms unfold in neighbouring Finland.

Hjemdal, a member of the Storting’s family and culture committee, highlighted successful remote gambling frameworks in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. While she stopped short of endorsing a specific model, she expressed admiration for Denmark’s regulatory setup.

“I haven’t landed on a concrete model, but what’s happening in Denmark is very exciting. I’d gladly take a study trip there to learn more,” she said.

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She also pointed to the broader risks of maintaining the monopoly, noting that large sums of money continue to flow out of the country through unlicensed platforms.

“We are one of the very few countries left using this model. There’s a clear need for better regulation—under the current system, Norwegian sports and culture lose out as money is spent offshore,” Hjemdal added.

The Progress Party isn’t alone in pushing for change. The Conservative Party also supports opening Norway’s gambling market and included the proposal in its latest manifesto, released in September 2023.

Carl Stenstrøm, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Online Gaming Association, believes the upcoming election could prove decisive. In a previous interview, he described the current level of cross-party support as the strongest yet for ending the monopoly, with liberalisation potentially arriving by 2028.

Betsson Group was once more distinguished as a gaming industry leader with two winning categories at the SBC Awards Europe 2025 – an event focused on recognising the best operators, affiliates, suppliers, payments and game developers across the European gaming industry.

This time, Betsson was awarded for:

Best Affiliate Programme – Betsson Group Affiliates

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With strategic expansions into high-growth markets such as Argentina, Greece and Colombia, BGA has empowered affiliates to deliver outstanding results through hyperlocal campaigns, region-specific assets and multilingual access.

Casino Operator of the Year

With all-time high results across key KPIs, Betsson Group’s focus on locally regulated markets continued to deliver. Player loyalty grew through personalised experiences, exclusive content and standout customer service.

Betsson’s commitment to user experience, compliance and innovation was further recognised with an upgraded ISO 27001:2022 certification and record-high customer deposits. With 91.7% of players using responsible gaming tools, and 1.35 million active customers, Betsson is not only growing fast, but doing so sustainably. These are just some of the reasons why Betsson Group earned this coveted award.

The Danes’ gambling spend increased in April 2025 compared with the same month last year. Especially online casino and betting saw a growth in the spending.

Figures from the Danish Gambling Authority’s monthly statistics show that the total gambling spend in April increased by 11.5% compared with April 2024.

Particularly online casino and betting contributed to the growth in the total gambling spend with an increase of 21.6% and 6.1%, respectively. On the other hand, land-based casino and gaming machines saw a minor fall of 2.5% and 3.6%, respectively.

The monthly statistics also cover key figures describing the Danish Gambling Authority register of self-excluded players (ROFUS) and the helpline StopSpillet.

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