The Norwegian gambling regulator, Lotteritilsynet, has issued a stern warning to state-backed horse racing operator Norsk Rikstoto, stating it could face significant daily fines if specific responsible gambling violations are not rectified immediately.
The warning follows a comprehensive regulatory inspection conducted between October 6 and December 10, 2025, which scrutinized the operator’s compliance with the Norway Gambling Act.
Four Critical Compliance Breaches Identified
The regulator’s review, which included customer data analysis and on-site interviews, uncovered four distinct breaches of safety protocols designed to protect high-risk players.
The most controversial violation involves “rollover” accumulation. The regulator found that Norsk Rikstoto’s system allows players to accumulate unused loss limits during self-imposed gambling pauses. Lotteritilsynet noted that this allows a player to return from a break with a much higher loss limit than when they left, directly contradicting the purpose of the cooling-off period.
Other breaches included:
- Internal Control Failures: Key operational risks lacked designated “owners” or mitigation deadlines.
- Interface Visibility: Self-exclusion and “pause” buttons were missing from critical pages where players review race info.
- Risk Communication: Insufficient messaging regarding gambling risks during new customer registration.
Escalating Financial Penalties
If the violations are not corrected, Norwegian Norsk Rikstoto faces a tiered fine structure starting in the second quarter of 2026. The regulator has proposed fines of NOK 5,000 (€435) per day for three of the breaches starting April 1, and a heavier NOK 10,000 (€870) per day for the rollover issue starting May 16.
The operator has been given until March 31, 2026, to fix the interface and communication issues, and until May 15 to implement technical changes to the loss limit framework. Norsk Rikstoto has three weeks to submit a formal response before the decision is finalized.
