Best Betting Sites in Norway

Where to bet safely in Norway and which online bookmakers to join?

Find out which top betting sites are ranked first among players in Norway. Examine their welcome bonus offers and take your pick. Read on if you want to know more about the gambling market in the country.

Best Bookies in Norway Listed

1. Betinia – Best specials and betting features
2. 22bet – Perfect bookmaker for less experienced punters
3. ComeOn! – Top sportsbook for live betting

Norway’s Top Bookmakers

Even though the Norwegian government restricts its citizens from playing in foreign bookmakers, no stringent measures have been taken against a citizen who places wagers with the foreign bookmakers.

Betinia

Betinia is a popular choice among bettors keen on basketball, but it offers great coverage on a wide range of popular and niche sports. What makes it stand out from the other Norwegian bookmakers is the sleek website design, fast withdrawals, and the opportunity to wager on thousands of events every day. As far as features go, Betinia customers can use Bet Builder, Acca Boost, Live Streaming, and more.

22bet

Considering this is a pretty new online bookmaker, it is doing quite well in the gaming industry. Norwegian players have embraced 22bet since its inception in 2017. They are a complete bookmaker offering a wide range of sports and markets. They have high odds when compared to their competitors in sports such as football and tennis.

They also have no country restrictions making it popular among all gambling fans. It’s worth mentioning that 22Bet are pretty attractive and have reasonable wagering terms.

ComeOn!

This is a new online bookmaker in the gaming industry. It made its first debut in 2009, and since then it has been able to offer great services to its players. Norwegian players love it because it has been able to combine both a sportsbook and an online casino. Signing up in ComeOn! online bookmaker is also quite easy because you need to create an account. The online betting site is available in many languages making it a go-to place for Norwegian players. The odds at ComeON! online are at the same level as those in the gambling market.

What to consider when choosing a Betting Site in Norway?

Choosing a betting site requires very serious considerations not only in Norway. There are a number of sites operating illegally in the gambling industry. These sites have been shown to con players off their money-making online gambling a sour experience for some players. For Norwegian players to avoid falling prey to these vulgar sites, they should consider some things when choosing an online casino to place bets with.

• Licensing
  Norwegian players need to ensure that the online bookie is licensed and registered with a well-known firm. Having a license means that the online bookie is following strict laws and regulations set part by the gaming industry. The online bookie should have a registration certificate and license on their website. Walk away if these are not displayed.
• Reputation
  The online bookie’s reputation is something that Norwegian players should consider before signing up with a gambling site. A good reputation means that online bookie can be trusted.
• Bonuses and other online bookie rewards
  The bonuses are different for every online bookmaker. Players need to compare various bonuses and promotions. They should also look into the terms and conditions set aside for rewarding such bonuses and promotions.
• Payment methods
  Does the online bookie accept Norwegian currency? Do they offer banking methods that are easily accessible to Norwegian players? These questions should be well answered for you if you are playing from Norway.
• Transaction fee
  Norwegians should consider playing from an online bookie that uses payment methods that do not require a player to pay any transaction fees on either deposits or withdrawal fees.

Betting in Norway – Trivia

• Currency: Norwegian Krone NOK
• Population: 5,258,000
• Active Players: 2,200,000
• Designated Authority: Norwegian Lotteries Authority
• Regulated Gambling Products: Sports betting, lotto and football betting
• Types of Operators: Local operators; Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto

Did you know that?

• There are only two regulated betting platforms in Norway; Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping
• Since 2012, the Norwegian regulated market has seen a growth of 65.7%
• The regulated market in Norway was worth NOK43.7 Billion
• An estimated 122,000 gamblers are at risk of problem gambling
• As much as NOK2.2 Billion was generated from unregulated gambling activities in 2017
• International Operators spent as much as NOK866 million in 2017 promoting their brands to Norwegian players

Gambling in Norway

The economic status in Norway is one of the best globally. Having a strong economic background means that a country has plenty of disposable income. In Norway, this disposable income allows citizens to engage in gambling activities without straining financially. However, the Norwegian government is stringent when it comes to matters relating to gambling. The government has put up very strict restrictions and regulations on Norwegians who engage in gambling activities.

Norwegians love gaming activities such as poker, horse racing, card games among others, but the government sees these gaming activities as problematic and an impending disaster for citizens who might get caught up in gambling addiction. They also restrict gambling to try and protect local sportsbooks. These government restrictions look quite serious when looked at face value, and one might think that Norwegians don’t engage in gaming activities, but it is not quite the case. Norwegians who love gambling always find a way through these laws and register with offshore gambling sites.

The Norwegian government has only licensed two online bookies in the whole country. The problem with these bookies is that they do not offer Norwegians the excitement that comes with placing bets. They are quite outdated in terms of technology, the odds fall far below those offered in other bookmakers, and the games are quite traditional. Thus, Norwegians who are lovers of quality and who want to make sure that they get value for their money prefer to place bets in other online bookmakers.

Is gambling in Norway legal?

The Norwegian government has always had concerns regarding betting activities in the country since time immemorial. The gambling activities in Norway are closely monitored by the government. Currently, most forms of gambling activities are illegal in Norway, and only two companies; Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping have permission from the Norway government to offer gaming activities.

This kind of strictness goes back to one hundred years ago back in 1902. During this period, the Norwegian Penal Code was implemented. This Code allowed only gambling sites with an exclusive license to offer games of chance. The government also made the process of obtaining this license quite strenuous, and this led to the monopolization of the gaming industry by the authorities.

Soon after this Penal Code law was put in place, the Totalisator Act was implemented in 1927. Due to this act, Norsk Rikstoto was given a monopoly over horse racing activities in Norway. When this happened, the Norwegian government did nothing to amend the laws pertaining to gaming over the next many years. However, in 1992, Norsk Tipping was granted permission on running a monopoly on lotto, football and other sporting activities in Norway. This was the same year when the Gaming Act was implemented.

Three years later, the Lottery Act was implemented. This Act regulated all Lottery games and betting mediums offering Lotto games. Due to great technological advancements, the laws implemented back in the years became outdated. In 2000, the government banned all slot machine games,, and they replaced them with video poker terminals where Norsk Tipping had control over. This was not the only challenge faced by players in Norway. The regulations went further to limit the betting amount that each player spent on a video poker terminal. They did this using a special card that had daily limits imposed on it.

As if these restrictions on slot machines was not enough, the Norwegian government in 2008 banned its citizens from placing bets with foreign bookmakers. This restriction, however, did not deter Norwegian bettors from placing wagers with offshore bookies.

The bookies were especially kind to Norwegian players by allowing them to place bets and also offering payment methods in the country’s currency. This did not discourage the Norwegian government as it took an even greater step by banning the transaction of finances between Norwegian citizens and offline bookmakers. They stopped the use of debit and credit cards. Norwegians found a way to work with e-wallets, and also banking sites did not place prudent measures on monitoring financial transactions between Norwegians and offshore bookmakers.

To date, the government still tries to restrict bets between its citizens and offshore bookmakers. They want gambling activities to remain within their territory. Gambling activities, including online gaming, are considered illegal in Norway. It is also unlawful for Norwegians to organize gambling parties at their residences. However, Norwegian players always find their way around these regulations and manage to register with foreign bookmakers.

Do Norwegian Players get restricted by some bookmakers? Why?

Even though most offshore bookmakers know that the Norwegian government is against their citizens registering and placing bets with offshore gaming sites, they still welcome Norwegian players. They do this because they know citizens from Norway have no problem wagering high amounts of cash provided the odds are high, the games are advanced in technology, and the customer service is excellent. There are over 300 foreign bookmakers offering services to Norwegian players.

Most of the foreign bookmakers can process payments in the Norwegian currency known as the Norwegian Krone. Even though these activities have been deemed illegal by the Norwegian government, no measures have been taken to do away with them completely.

How much tax do you pay on gambling winnings in Norway?

In Norway, the gambling activities are monopolized. The Norwegian Gaming Authority controls gaming activities in the country. In Norway, the gambling income is under the random income category and thus is considered taxable income. According to the law, tax is imposed on a Norwegian citizen is the winnings are from competitions, lotteries and games and when the amount is greater than 10.000 NOK. However, this rule is for winnings gotten from foreign gambling companies.

There are however exemptions on the amount of tax a Norwegian player should pay. For instance, a Norwegian gambler will not pay tax if the income is from Norsk Tipping AS if the amount is won as a prize from events held by companies or organizations having a valid lottery license and if the games fall under the totalisatorspill-loven betting act. They will also not pay tax if the winnings are from publicly held events arranged by mass-media.

About the gambling market

For Norwegian players wishing to place bets from their home country, they only have two options. Players who want to place wagers on sporting events, lotteries and other games, Norsk Tipping is the place to go. Norsk Rikstoto is the place to go for Norwegian players who have a passion for horse racing. In Norway, foreign bookmakers are quite dominant among citizens, even though the Norwegian government forbids them from colluding with their citizens.

European bookmakers are especially common among gamblers from Norway. Their high odds, better technology, and excellent customer services make them a great choice for players in Norway. In the recent past, there have been estimations that there are over 100 Norwegian-language online bookmakers. Some of the most common online bookmakers that cater to Norwegian players include 22bet and Unibet.

The most popular betting features and options in Norway

Online bookies available to Norwegian players offer some of the most advanced features and options that help keep players entertained. Some of these features include;

• Live-streaming – Online bookmakers such as 888sport, 22Bet, Unibet among others will have your favourite sports streamed live to you. This will help make more profound betting decisions.
• Cash-out option – With this feature, players will be able to cash out their winnings before they make losses. This feature is offered on sports betting events and on other bookmaker games. It is available at Betway, among other bookies.
• In-play section – Players can place an in-play bet on live matches. These matches may include soccer, tennis, among others. This is available at Karamba.

Available bonuses for Norwegian Players

Most online bookies will offer players bonuses as a way of enticing players to play at their site. This is the same case for bookies available to Norwegian players where bonuses are in plenty. Most of these bookies are fighting to have space in the Norwegian market and thus must offer bonuses that make customers come looking for them. Bookies such as Unibet, Betfirst, and Fun88 offer a welcome bonus of up to 500NOK for Norwegian players.

Others such as Dafabet, 18bet, and Jetbull offer players an extra €50 on their first deposit amount. There are also VIP schemes and loyalty programs made available by different bookies. Click on every online bookie’s promotions page to find out what they have in store for you.

The favourite sports of the Norwegian bettors

In Norway, sports betting is one of the most common recreational activities. Norwegian players prefer to place sports bets with foreign bookmakers because of the huge variety of sports offered and the highly competitive odds made available by these bookies. They are also able to offer features such as live-streaming, in-play betting, and live score matches that add thrill to these games.

In Norway, the most common sport is Soccer, the country has some of the most talented soccer players. Norwegian players enjoy placing bets on soccer games as a way of showing support to their national soccer players. Other popular sports among Norwegian bettors include tennis, ice hockey, basketball, horse and greyhound racing, American football, snooker which is a pool game, boxing among others.

They also enjoy winter sports, and they are lucky because most bookies have a winter sport section on their website, and sports such as Alpine skiing, speed skating, biathlon, ski jumping are offered. Motorsport fans also have something to look forward to since some bookies offer this option.

Are Online Casinos popular on the market?

In Norway, online bookies are quite common despite the Norwegian government imposing strict restrictions on online betting and all other forms of gambling. Norwegian players know exactly what they want from an online bookie, and they do not fall prey to bookies masquerading as trustworthy sites. They can enjoy a wide range of casino games from bookies such as Karamba, Fezbet, BetVictor, Unibet among others. Despite being a country that loves sports betting, Norway gamblers enjoy playing poker, table games, and slot machine games among others.

Currency and Preferred Payment Methods in Norway

In Norway, the most common methods of making a transaction include Visa and Mastercard. E-wallets are also another common payment method in Norway with methods such as Neteller, Skrill, and PayPal dominating the market. They can also use PaySafe Card. Most online bookies accept Norwegian currency making the betting experience smooth for Norwegians.

Bookies with mobile apps for Norwegian customers

With almost everybody owning a mobile phone in Norway, placing bets via mobile has become a very common aspect. Bookies have also made it very easy for players to place bets using mobile by developing mobile applications for their sites. These apps can work on Windows, Blackberry, Android and iOS devices. Bookies that offer mobile apps include 22Bet mobile app and many more.

Final comment

As noted, Norway citizens are a huge fan of gambling activities. Even though Norway betting sites and bookmakers are only limited to two companies in the country, online betting in Norway has fully been embraced. Sports betting is quite common with Norway football betting topping the list of the most preferred sports betting. There are plenty of top bookmakers Norway that allow these players to have value for their money.

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