The Norwegian Gambling Authority has told the 62 companies about its plan to use DNS blocking, which would stop the sites from loading for users in Norway. The operators will have until October 15, 2026, to respond before a final decision is made. Director Atle Hamar said the regulator must give notice before it can decide, so this step is a legal requirement.
Hamar stated:
“The way it works is that we must give notice before we make a decision. In practice, we have concluded. Those who have inside information will always win, and an ordinary consumer in Norway will generally not sit on inside information. It’s a perfect system for insider trading. And we don’t want that, which is why we notify DNS blocking.”
Hamar also pointed to research suggesting that a small group of users take most of the winnings on these platforms, while back in August, he had raised concerns about young Norwegians using prediction markets and urged parents to monitor activity on such platforms.
Hamar admitted that users can get around DNS blocks with VPNs or by changing browser settings; still, he said the blocks work, because harder access and harder payments make it less appealing for consumers.
Norway has already blocked 238 gambling websites, and joins a growing list of countries restricting prediction markets, which are fighting bans in the multiple European countries. Additionally, the European Securities and Markets Authority has already warned about insider trading risks on prediction markets.
