Three separate authorities in Norway are pooling their resources to hear from shareholders, informing Norway’s upcoming national problem gambling strategy.
Gambling regulator Lotteritilsynet, Norway’s Directorate of Health, and the State Media Authority, Medietilsynet, are co-leading an examination of Norway’s gambling industry ahead of the biggest reform of its kind, scheduled to come into effect in 2026.
Various shareholders have been invited to share opinions to identify which areas need the closest attention, as reported by SBC News.
Norway speaks on gambling reform
That includes groups like ADHD Norway, who argue that more effort should be made to support those with neurological disorders.
The organization states that between 70-75% of those within ADHD in Norway struggle with impulsive actions, putting them at risk of harmful gambling effects.
Solutions put forward include improving education around gambling in schools and in prisons, such as by targeted courses for the identification and treatment of gambling disorders among prisoners. To enable both, ADHD Norway argues that more funds need to be allocated to regional mental health services.
Gambling Addiction Norway’s (GAN) proposed a nationwide educational campaign to target families of gamblers, so that loved ones can offer in-person support and spot the warning signs of gambling-related harm. The body said that its support network is getting an increasing number of people reaching out for help.
Generally speaking, GAN welcomed the collaborative approach of the Norwegian Lottery Authority, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and the Norwegian Media Authority, stating that it is open to further contributions towards gambling reform.
Within the gambling industry itself, the state-owned Norwegian regulator Norsk Tipping put forward suggestions for harm reduction efforts to be focused on younger people between the ages of 18 and 25. This is because there is an increasing number of gamblers within this group.
One example of a recommended strategy from the regulator was to investigate which minorities are the most exposed to problem gambling, and thereafter devise campaigns to best support them. This could be achieved through a series of language surveys.
The three leading groups will now deliberate ahead of cementing reform to be enacted next year.
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 3.0
