Study: Norway Cuts Gambling Addicts in Half in 4 Years

Norwegian research center, Spillforsk, has released a report on the impact of gambling, showing how many Norwegians are hooked on betting, as reported by Igaming Business.

The report shows that only 23,000 people in the country are struggling with gambling addiction, and another 93,000 are on the brink of losing control. 

That’s a 58% decrease from 2019, when Spillforsk did a similar study and found that 55,000 Norwegians were gambling addicts and 122,000 people at risk.

What’s behind this turnaround? Henrik Nordal, the boss of Norway’s gambling regulator (the Norwegian Gambling and Foundation Authority), credits the tighter controls on illegal gambling operators.

Another factor that helped Norway curb gambling addiction is the ban on foreign gambling ads in Norway. The country has also enlisted the help of local banks in blocking illegal gambling transactions. These measures have made it harder for Norwegians to access offshore gambling sites and fall prey to their addictive offers.