Norwegian Lottery Authority: New Rules for Small Lotteries and Bazaars

“A change in the legislation from 1 January 2023 makes it easier to organize small lotteries and bazaars, or “money games”, as they are referred to in the new law. These are rules that apply to all days throughout the year, not just the national day, explains Tore Bell, who is a senior adviser at the Norwegian Lottery Authority.

A simple rule of thumb

The rule is so simple that it is now legal to arrange bazaars and lotteries for everyone. The limit is that you can sell for a maximum of NOK 200,000 a year and that the surplus must not go to so-called profit-based (commercial) purposes.

– The exemption in the regulations also opens the way for school classes, sports teams and FAUs to organize lotteries and bazaars to generate income for, for example, school trips or a new ball pit for the outdoor area. Until now, this has not been allowed, says Bell.

What is also new is that you no longer have to inform the Swedish Lottery Authority that the lottery or bazaar is to be organised. You must also not submit a report on the arson. It is up to the organizer to make sure that you do not exceed the limit of NOK 200,000 during the year.

Cannot involve professionals

It is not allowed to use a so-called “helper”, i.e. a professional player, to carry out the lottery. This means that the organizer must carry out the entire lottery itself. You can use Vipps as a payment solution, or, for example, channels such as Facebook to inform about the lottery or to order lottery tickets.

– The prizes must be of limited value. There is no limit on the percentage of turnover that can be set aside for prizes. It is not legal to use alcohol as a prize in this type of lottery, says Bell.

You can read more about gambling with a turnover of less than 200,000 on our website, or read up on gambling regulations at Lovdata.

SOURCE: Norwegian Lottery Authority.