Norway has set out proposals to bring online poker into a regulated framework for the first time. However, the package of restrictions attached to the plan has raised doubts about whether it can draw players away from unlicensed offshore platforms, according to a report by Card Player.
The fast-tracked proposal was published on 29 September by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality. Under the plan, online poker would be legal only through Norsk Tipping, the state-run online gaming operator. All other operators would be barred. Officials say the aim is to give Norwegian players a regulated alternative to sites based outside the country.
The proposed limits are extensive. Players would face a daily loss cap of NOK5,000 ($521) and a monthly loss cap of NOK10,000 ($1,042). Those under 20 would be held to a tighter monthly cap of NOK2,000 ($209). Tournament buy-ins would be capped at NOK2,500 ($260.50) and cash game buy-ins at NOK1,000 ($104). The big blind would be limited to NOK10 ($1), effectively confining cash games to low stakes. Players could sit at no more than 4 tables at once, and the site would close between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Card Player argues that loss caps at this level would be too small to sustain a market much above micro stakes.
The ministry has also outlined further measures. Tournament players would be required to take a 5-minute break every hour. Norsk Tipping customers moving to the poker product from the operator’s other online games would face a 15-minute wait. A ban on, or significant restriction of, online poker advertising is under consideration. Mandatory incident reporting would apply to Norsk Tipping, the other state-run operator Norsk Rikstoto, and bingo and lottery operators.
Liquidity is likely to be a central challenge. Norway has a population of about 5.7 million, and the proposal envisages a closed, domestic-only player pool. Card Player compares this with Nevada, which has around 3.1 million residents and has had to share player pools with other US states to build meaningful traffic. Internationally, players can find games at every stake level around the clock. Under the Norwegian plan, recreational players may try the regulated site, but those chasing larger stakes and prize pools may stay away.
The proposal follows years of strict enforcement of Norway’s gambling monopoly. Private poker operators have never been permitted to run legally in the country. Card Player reports that major brands including PokerStars, 888poker and Unibet withdrew around 2023 under government pressure. Norway began DNS blocking of unregulated sites in 2025, but most Norwegian players are said to still use offshore platforms that get around those measures.
The debate matters to a country that has produced several prominent names in the game. Espen Jorstad won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2022 for $10 million. Annette Obrestad took the WSOP Europe Main Event in 2007 for $2 million, becoming the youngest player ever to win a WSOP bracelet. Other notable Norwegians include Kayhan Mokri, with more than $24 million in lifetime earnings, Thor Hansen with $2.9 million, and Johnny Lodden with $2.8 million. The proposal remains at the consultation stage, and its final shape will depend on how Norwegian lawmakers proceed.
