Norway proposes gambling law amendments

Norway’s government has proposed an amendment to its existing gambling laws that would make it illegal for Norwegian financial institutions to process payments for online gaming websites.

A spokesperson for the government said the proposed change was necessary to clarify the part of the law that rules companies were prohibited from engaging mediating for internet gambling services.

„There had been some debate as to whether payment processing was covered under the term ’mediating’“, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs said. „The new proposal has made the definition much more precise.“

Industry sources remain suspicious though, with some surmising that the move is being made to protect the country’s state gambling monopoly Norske Tipping.