Discovery Europe, the European affiliate of the Discovery Channel, has yielded to Norway’s media authority, Medietilsynet, by agreeing to stop broadcasting gaming ads to that country’s population.
The TV company had fought Medietilsynet’s authority to order it to black out advertising on its European network that includes sports channels. The media authority had then ordered Norway’s television platforms to cease broadcasting Discovery channels—an order that was challenged by two of them: Telia and Altibox.
They asserted that Norway’s Broadcasting Act had no authority to interfere with international media. However on August 17 Medietilsynet Director Mari Velsand announced that Discovery has agreed to abide by the Act and stop broadcasting gaming ads in the country.
She said, “The advertising from the foreign gambling companies has helped to normalize the most aggressive forms of gambling via the internet, and to maintain teams and thereby legitimize an illegal offer. It has therefore been very important to stop Discovery advertising.”
The Norwegian gaming authority Lottstift is also cracking down on unlicensed gambling operators. The only legal gaming ads are for the state lottery/betting monopoly Norsk Tipping and racing monopoly Rikstoto.
Blocking ads from outside of the country is part of that policy. In a statement Lottstift declared: “Now that Discovery has stopped broadcasting foreign gambling advertising, the Norwegian players must assess to what extent they will be present on television.” The authority’s policy director Atle Hamar added, “The situation is different when the need to compete for attention with the illegal gambling is gone.”
Meanwhile Norsk Tipping has said it will reduce advertising and cease promoting “high risk” games.
