Last month, the government-owned gambling operator located in Norway announced that it had raised close to $24 million for good causes from January to April thanks to its Grassroots Share (Grasrotandelen) program. The latter directs 7% of all bets made by gamblers toward charity organizations picked by players themselves. In September 2022, the operator announced it will no longer advertise its sports betting services on television.
Now, Norsk Tipping has announced a new policy upgrade that proves its commitment to responsible gaming and safe gambling policies. The operator has upgraded its loss limits aimed at players aged 20 and under to a maximum of NOK 2,000 ($181).
Players Under 20s, Deemed “More Vulnerable” Than Older Players
Mentioning statistics originating from the University of Bergen and the Helpline for gambling addicts, the company’s director of responsibility and communication, Tonje Sagstuen, spoke about the higher incidence of gambling issues among younger customers compared to other age groups.
By association, the same players are also prone to make bad choices when gambling. The company also explained that, at the moment, it counted approximately 30,000 active players who are under the age of 20. Of them, roughly 2,000 lost over NOK 2,000 ($181) during a month on at least one occasion over the course of the past 12 months.
Up until now, Norsk Tipping had a loss limit of NOK 20,000 ($1,819) per month for players of all ages. Now, according to the fresh decision, starting June 1 onwards, the smaller limit loss for players under 20 will come into effect.
While the operator which is backed by the Norwegian state preserves its 18 and above age limit for players, the fact that younger customers are subject to higher risks of harm related to gambling has convinced Norsk Tipping to make the important changes.
Following Suit
The operator’s choice for stricter gambling loss limits comes as a result of similar measures embraced by other large betting brands in Europe as a way of improving their player protection frameworks.
One example is the new €1,000 ($1,076) monthly deposit limit regulation introduced by Germany in 2021. Belgium opted for an even more restrictive limit of €200 ($215) per month for deposits in 2022.
The imminent United Kingdom’s Gambling Act review White Paper also mentioned a monthly loss limit proposal of £125 ($156) along with a yearly £500 ($626) limit within a year prior to players being subject to specific affordability checks.
Also, according to the same proposal, the higher the spending levels, the larger the number of checkups are going to be, with suggested thresholds of £1,000 ($1,252) within a 24-hour timeframe and double the amount within three months’ time.