Sportsbooks like to offer all sorts of fun wagers, and betting on the outcome of election results is certainly one we can enjoy from time to time. But Norway, having recently held their elections, might be a place where this activity isn’t so kindly looked upon.
As originally reported by iGamingBusiness, Norway’s state-owned operator Norsk Tipping has argued that punters should not bet on local elections, claiming it might affect the result of the polls. They did so atfter the country’s regulator, Lotteri-og stiftelsestilsynet (Lottstift) warned that local media outlets should not cover foreign oddsmakers take on how Norse elections might play out, as it would consist of illegal advertising for locally unregulated operators.
The November 9 elections were for representatives of municipal and country councils, and Norsk Tipping cited their own belief that if wagers were offered for these contests, sparsely populated municipalities might see their results skewed by undue influence.
“It would be possible to [offer odds on the elections], but there are many good reasons not to,” Norsk Tipping’s director of communications Tonje Sagstuen said. “The most important thing is that if money is at stake on the outcome of local elections, it can affect both the election and its result in a number of ways.”
This fear though didn’t expand to the elections of larger elections or other countries, however. Sagstuen noted that Norsk Tipping may offer odds on U.S. contests, or even future parliamentary elections in Norway. “There is no possibility of affecting the result in the first case, and in the second case [such a possibility] is completely microscopic,” she noted.
Even if Norwegians wanted to bet on the November 9 elections, the government is doing its best to keep that option off the table. Advertising by foreign operators is restricted, and only Norsk Tipping is authorized to offer sports betting of any kind. So if you agree with their views on election betting or not, they’re likely to be the only available option for most Norse citizens.
