Inside the Norway Gambling Action Plan for 2026–2029

Norway has launched a wide-reaching gambling action plan designed to run through 2029, putting youth protection and public health at the centre of the country’s approach to problem gambling. The Norway gambling action plan covers prevention campaigns, expanded treatment services, and a strengthened research agenda, but stops short of introducing new regulations. There are no changes to betting limits, age restrictions, or legal gambling access.

A Public Health Approach, Not a Regulatory One

The Norwegian government has made clear that the Norway gambling action plan is not about restricting gambling access through legislation. Instead, the focus sits firmly on awareness, early intervention, and building a stronger evidence base. Three agencies share responsibility for delivery: Lotteritilsynet (the Gambling Authority), Medietilsynet (the Media Authority), and Helsedirektoratet (the Directorate of Health). The Norwegian Film Institute and several voluntary organisations will also support outreach efforts around gaming culture and available support services.

This framing reflects a broader European shift in how governments approach gambling harm. Rather than relying purely on market controls, Norway has chosen to invest in behavioural support and community-level education, treating gambling harm as a matter of consumer protection and public wellbeing.

Young People at the Core

Children and young people aged 9 to 25 make up the primary target group. Research cited in the programme identified 12 to 17-year-olds as especially at risk, partly because of their exposure to gambling-like mechanics in video games, including loot boxes and cosmetic skin markets.

Schools and youth clubs will run dedicated educational programmes to help young people recognise gambling-style elements within digital games. Prevention materials will go out through popular youth platforms such as ung.no and snakkomspill.no, and social media will play a central role in targeted campaigns reaching 16 to 25-year-olds. These campaigns will cover the risks involved in gambling and the legal framework surrounding it.

The plan also ties into Norway’s broader digital youth policies, including recent screen-time guidance and strategies addressing addiction and suicide prevention. So gambling harm is treated not as an isolated issue but as part of a wider conversation about young people’s health online.

Beyond Youth: Reaching Other Vulnerable Groups

The Norway gambling action plan also identifies several other groups with specific vulnerability to gambling harm. Athletes, people in custody, individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions, people outside education or employment, and those with a history of gambling problems all receive explicit attention in the programme.

For people in prison, the plan takes a targeted approach. Prison staff will train to identify signs of gambling harm among inmates, who can accumulate significant debts during incarceration. Healthcare providers, probation officers, coaches, employers, and bank employees will also learn to spot early warning signs and refer people to the right support.

Treatment and Helpline Expansion

Hjelpelinjen, Norway’s existing gambling helpline, will expand under the plan. New chat services tailored to younger users will improve accessibility, and the service will continue offering free remote treatment programmes running approximately 12 weeks. These programmes require no referral from a general practitioner, which lowers the barrier to entry considerably.

Regional competence centres, known as KORUS, will work more closely with the Directorate of Health to push these services into local and municipal settings. The goal is to make support genuinely available at the point people need it, rather than leaving access dependent on navigating formal medical channels.

Banks and Unlicensed Operators

One of the plan’s more distinctive elements involves financial institutions. Banks will step up cooperation with authorities to cut the flow of money reaching unlicensed foreign gambling operators. Front-line banking staff will train to identify customers showing signs of gambling-related financial harm, adding another layer to early detection beyond the healthcare system.

An annual forum with licensed gambling operators will also reinforce responsible gambling obligations across the regulated sector.

A Monopoly Under Scrutiny

The launch of the Norway gambling action plan arrives at a difficult moment for state-owned operator Norsk Tipping, which holds the monopoly over regulated online gambling in Norway. The operator has faced a series of high-profile problems in recent months, including a technical error causing incorrect lottery payouts and a separate Eurojackpot incident that exposed weaknesses in its internal controls. Reports have also pointed to broader quality issues with its platform.

These incidents have fuelled debate about whether Norway’s monopoly model can genuinely meet its consumer protection obligations. The government’s decision to invest in public health infrastructure rather than regulatory reform suggests confidence in the existing model, but the pressure on Norsk Tipping is real and growing.

A Long-Term Commitment

Norway’s four-year plan represents a serious, multi-agency commitment to reducing gambling harm, particularly among younger people. Its success depends heavily on consistent delivery and sufficient resourcing across education, health, and justice systems. With the plan running until 2029, there is time to measure impact, but also time for gaps to emerge if coordination falters. The gambling authority’s ongoing surveys and a new nationwide study on gambling problems will provide the data needed to track progress and hold the programme accountable.