Førde, Norway (September 25, 2023) — The Norwegian Lottery Authority has now informed nine banks that there will be supervision of compliance with the payment intermediary ban.According to Section 5 of the Gambling Act, it is prohibited to mediate payment transactions for deposits to and payouts from gambling that do not have the necessary licence. The Norwegian Lottery Authority has the right to make decisions and order the banks to reject transactions to and from specific account numbers and companies.
– For a long time, we have focused on dialogue with Norwegian banks and financial institutions. For the first time, we have now chosen to open a more thorough inspection of compliance.
That’s according to lawyer and senior adviser in the Norwegian Lottery Authority, Rannveig Gram Skår.
The ban contributes to a decrease in problem gambling
More concretely, it is the Norwegian Lottery Authority’s decision taken in 2023 with an order to reject gambling transactions that must be supervised. The purpose is to obtain knowledge to ensure that an effective ban is maintained.
– We know that the payment intermediary ban is an important tool to protect the Norwegian sole proprietorship model. The purpose of the model is to prevent gambling problems and other negative consequences of gambling, says Gram Skår.
In the population survey from this spring, it is pointed out that stricter requirements for enforcing the ban on payment intermediaries is one of the reasons that can explain the decline in problem gambling. This is because the ban makes it more difficult to participate in gambling with foreign providers.
Coming to open more inspections
In the briefing sent to the banks, they are asked, among other things, to explain what measures they have taken to stop transactions to/from identified companies and account numbers. The banks must also present any internal routines for compliance with the ban.
– The banks have three weeks to submit the documentation and information we have requested. We largely expect to see that the banks have effectively complied with our decisions, says Gram Skår.
In the first instance, the inspection covers nine banks, and the subject of the inspection deals with part of the regulations with which the banks must be well acquainted. Gradually, more inspections will be opened, where it may also be relevant to shed light on other parts of the regulations.
SOURCE: LOTTERI- OG STIFTELSESTILSYNET (The Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority).
