Breaking into the Norwegian Online Gaming Market

Norway, a social welfare paradise with some of the most progressive economic policies in the world has been for many years a great destination for those in the iGaming industry. This country is also home to some of the best online poker players in the world (howdy Annette Obrestad and Thor Hansen) so gambling is an activity that has been built into the culture in the past few years. Casino affiliates can find a lot of opportunities in this market, but they also come with challenges to overcome. Nonetheless, there are plenty of successful affiliate programs already making the big bucks in Norway.
This country has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world, and Norwegians are not only wealthy, but also healthy and happy. Seriously, what more could a casino affiliate want for a perfect igaming audience? Keep reading and find out what is up with the Norwegian online gaming market and what casino affiliates can find there.
The Highs
Norway enjoys many benefits that most countries in the world envy (just like the rest of Scadinavia). This is one of the happiest countries in the world and one of the basis of this conclusion is the assumption that everyone in Norway has enough money and resources to make most of their dreams come true. The good news is that Norwegians like to gamble and that there is strong evidence suggesting that casino affiliates can find a hefty audience on this country.
There are plenty of companies that are making some serious money by catering to Norwegian players, such as Fortune Affiliates, ReferBack, bet365 and Redbet. Those are all CAP listed affiliate programs that have successfully found a niche in the Norwegian igaming market: CAP members can feel free to join them or just contact them with any questions they may have.
The fact that Norway is a wealthy country also means that the average bet per player is higher than in most other places in the world. Norwegians pay high taxes on their income, but once those are taken off they have free education, healthcare and most basic services, so they are left with a decent portion to be spent on entertainment. If you enter this market, you will be surprised by the stats Norwegian players have.
The Lows
So with Norway being so progressive and well-off it seems like the perfect destination for casino affiliates. However, the one big low is that the Norwegian government is concerned with the fact that if players engage too heavily in online gambling they will stop being productive members of society and their entire social system will collapse.
Whether that is true or not is a topic for another discussion, but what it means for the contemporary casino affiliate is that online gambling is not a legal activity in Norway at the moment, unless it is offered by the state. However, the igaming market has remained open because there are no legislations in place that strictly restrain Norwegians from gambling at offshore online gambling venues… yet. The talk of the town is that Norway is planning to implement US-style of legislation and even block ISPs of offshore online gambling companies. Scandalous? We know!
What to Expect?
At the moment, venturing into the Norwegian igaming market seems like a favorable venture. For the future, it is also likely that things will stay on the bright side for casino affiliates interested in catering to Norwegian players. This is because the Norwegian government listens very closely to what the population wants and the reaction to mention of this type of restriction has been far from welcoming. It is highly possible that those bans will not be put in place due to lack of public acceptance, but keep an eye on our news section to stay up to date on the topic.
Do you recruit Norwegian players to your site? What do you think on the Norwegian’s government take on online gambling? Share your thoughts with fellow affiliates and the CAP team below.