Norway’s culture minister Linda Hofstad Helleland has announced a new restriction on online gambling advertisements in the country.
The new rule would restrict international operators from introducing ads from foreign television channels. Helleland said the rule is scheduled to be introduced in the spring and could be approved by summer as the government has already discussed the measure with European Union officials according to CDC Gaming Reports.
According to Norwegian officials, international gambling operators run 62 commercials per hour on average through Norwegian-language channels which are based in other European countries. The government wants to protect revenue for Norsk Tipping—Norway’s national lottery—which helps “socially beneficial and humanitarian organizations.”
The Norwegian Media Authority estimates a $103.5 million was spent by international gambling operators on advertising targeting the country from July 2016 to July 2017.
