Norwegian Tote Customers Placed More Than 23,000 Free Bets After System Error

More than 5,000 customers of Norwegian state-backed horse racing tote operator Norsk Rikstoto were able to place bets without funds being deducted from their accounts between February 3 and 5 because of a technical error. In total, the system accepted 23,716 unpaid bets, iGamingToday reported. Norwegian regulator Lotteritilsynet is investigating the incident.

Customers placed bets on horse racing, including popular pari-mutuel pools in which the prize fund is formed from participants’ stakes. Funds were not deducted from their accounts, but the bets still entered the pools on standard terms, and customers retained any winnings.

According to preliminary estimates, Norsk Rikstoto’s losses may have ranged from €100,000 to €200,000. The actual figure could be higher, as the final damage depends on paid winnings and repeat betting.

Gambling Park notes that the incident attracted regulatory attention not because players suffered losses. On the contrary, some customers gained an advantage: they risked nothing but could still win real money.

Under Norwegian rules, however, every bet must be paid for, while free bets and credit betting are prohibited.

The regulator is also examining whether the unpaid bets may have affected the total prize pools and payouts to other participants. Norsk Rikstoto did not retroactively charge customers for the bets. The company said doing so could have breached the spending limits set for customers.

The situation was compounded by a second, similar error on March 25. The regulator was notified of that incident only on April 15, even though serious incidents must be reported within 72 hours. The operator has now been asked to provide a full report on the causes of both failures.