Official language: Norwegian
Population: 4,805,437
Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK)

Current Exchange Rate
1 EUR = 8.3390 NOK
1 GBP = 9.1965 NOK
1 USD = 5.5740 NOK

Quick links
Online casinos in Norway
Online poker in Norway
Online sportsbooks in Norway
Online bingo in Norway

Gambling in Norway
Gambling of all kinds is legal in Norway. There are several state-run companies that are licensed to provide gambling in the form of casinos, sportsbooks, lotteries, and even online gambling. Foreign bookmakers are also given a degree of latitude in their operations in Norway, though their activities are closely monitored by the Norwegian Gaming Board.

Norwegians love to gamble, and some studies suggest as many as 1.5% of all Norwegians are addicted to gambling. The pastime did not always enjoy such popularity though. In the 40s and 50s, even playing simple card games was frowned upon. The nation warmed up to gambling slowly and today its a major gambling center.

Online Gambling in Norway
Online gambling is legal in Norway, but the situation is tricky. Norsk Tipping, a state-run company that controls all lotteries and sports betting in Norway, went online in 2002. It is currently the only internet site where Norwegian players can legally place bets, because as of December 2008, gambling at foreign websites in Norway is illegal.

The ban won't come into full effect until late 2009. The ban includes a system similar to the gambling laws in the US – banks in Norway are no longer allowed to transfer funds between Norwegian accounts and foreign internet gambling sites. Since Norway is not a full member of the EU, there will be no pressure to change this, so players in Norway will soon face a situation similar to the one found in the US.