Norway is set to implement DNS blocking of unlicensed operators from January 2025.
Unlike in some countries where a court ruling is required to DNS block illegal operators, this will not be the case in Norway. Monica Kjelsnes from the NGA confirmed that the authority will not need court approval to proceed. The process will involve the NGA first contacting gambling operators to inform them about the new legislation. Should these operators fail to comply, the NGA will be able to enforce DNS blocking. Kjelsnes also noted that the NGA is already investigating which operators are offering gambling services in Norway without a license and has begun notifying these companies.
The NGA will consider a range of factors when determining if a website is targeting Norwegian players. These include:
- Offering the Norwegian language on the site
- Allowing payments in Norwegian kroner (NOK)
- Being operated by a Norwegian company or having a connection to Norway, such as a Norwegian address
- Advertising in Norwegian media
- Featuring Norwegian individuals in promotional material Directing profits to Norwegian organisations
- Referring to Norwegian support services like Anonyme Gamblere Norge, Blå Kors Norge, or Hjelpelinjen
- Actively attempting to bypass Norway’s payment restrictions on gambling
If a gambling site meets one or more of these criteria, it will be considered as targeting the Norwegian market, and could face DNS blocking. Simply just switching the language to English or using an international domain may not be sufficient to avoid these measures. In cases where a site combines legal and illegal content (such as legal sports information alongside illegal gambling services), the legal content could be moved to a separate domain to avoid blocking.
There has been some uncertainty regarding whether DNS blocking would extend to affiliate websites. Kjelsnes clarified that the NGA’s blocking orders will only apply to operators offering unlicensed gambling, and affiliates will not be subject to DNS blocking.
