How to Get Started with Online Gambling in Norway
Norway has some of the strictest laws regulating online gambling out of all European countries. Due to not being a member of the European Union, the country has a free reign on tailoring gaming (and other) laws in any way they see fit. So, in 2008 Norway passed a legislation that made gambling online anywhere apart from two state-regulated sites (Norsk Riskoto and Norsk Tipping) illegal.
This means that, in theory, Norwegian people playing at other, non-regulated offshore sites are breaking the law. In practice, however, there are thousands of Norwegians playing at hundreds of various „illegal“ sites without any legal consequences. The law is there to scare the players away, but it is not actually enforced.
Getting Started with Online Gambling in Norway
If you’re looking to play casino games or place bets from Norway, there is actually a huge number of reputable sites still catering to Norwegians. Many companies refuse to accept the state-enacted monopoly that makes it impossible to even apply for a local license and they continue to operate in Norway. In fact, many of these sites are even fully translated into Norwegian and give players a chance to deposit, play, and withdraw in Norwegian Krone (NOK).
The best way to find reliable and trustworthy sites catering to Norwegians is to Google “spilleautomater paa nett” (Slot machines online). From there on, simply check out few of the top search results and you will find sites offering in-depth and useful reviews of the most popular online casinos in Norway.
Deposits & Withdrawals
As already discussed, although online gambling is technically illegal in Norway (unless you play at one of the two state-regulated sites), these laws aren’t enforced at all. However, one problem Norwegian players often face is the inability to deposit using their credit cards. This is because of the 2010 Payment Act which prevents banks and other financial institutions from processing payments to and from online gambling operators. The act is quite similar to the infamous Unlawful Internet Gambling Act (UIGEA) in the USA.
The best and easiest way for Norwegian players to get around this problem is to use alternative methods. Deposits can always be done via Paysafecards, while e-wallets such as NETELLER, Skrill, and WebMoney can be used as both deposit and withdrawal methods.
So, all you have to do to get started is pick your online casino is choose the payment method that seems the most convenient. Once you solve these problems, you can gamble freely from Norway and withdraw any winnings without an issue.
