Sweden-based Betsson has ceased to operate in Norway following orders from the Norwegian Gambling Authority
According to CardsChat News, BLM Group, Betsson's parent company, was ordered to leave the market by Lottstift. Whilst the website is indeed banned from Norway, CardsChat News showed that Betsson's online poker offerings have been unaffected. The order came in the form of a letter where they said that online poker and gaming is against the law, and that they should close their websites.
State-owned casino site Norsk Tipping is the only legal online gaming outlet in Norway, although it does not offer online poker. This has been argued to violate European free-trade laws on monopolies, which is why Norway has been, somewhat, hands-off when it came to those operating in the country.
In a letter, Lottstift said that "although BLM Group’s gambling license is provided by the Maltese authorities, the illegal gaming offer takes effect in Norway by the company offering games on the internet".
"The Lottery Act and the Gambling Act also apply to gambling from abroad when the offer is directed at Norway."
Betsson was given three weeks to cease operation or face “coercive fines that run until the illegal gambling offer has been rectified or terminated".
To clarify a point made earlier in the article, whilst CardsChat did manage to access Betsson and Betsafe via a Norwegian IP address, this could be because BLM Group are still in the process of exiting the market.
In the letter, Lottstift's claimed that Betsson used "Norwegian symbols" and found a way to circumvent the block on payment processing within the country.
Betsson has until Aug. 15 to file any objections with the NGA.
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