Kindred, Betsson, GiG and Cherry form Norwegian trade body
Nordic gambling giants come together to lobby for a new online licensing system in Norway
Kindred Group, Betsson, GiG and Cherry have joined forces to form a Norwegian trade body to challenge the country’s monopoly and establish new online gambling legislation.
The Norwegian Trade Association of Online Gambling (NBO) was founded earlier this month and will represent the betting industry in discussions on the future regulation of the market in Norway.
According to Kindred public affairs manager Rolf Sims, the NBO will work towards a licensing system for online gambling within a responsible framework, catering for player protection, the operators, the beneficiaries and the “distinctiveness of Norwegian society”.
Last year the four operators co-operated on a Menon report, which assessed the future of gambling in Norway and concluded that the market should regulate in the same way as both Denmark and Sweden, thus ending the current monopoly.
Carl Fredrik Stenstrøm, formerly the Norsk Rikstoto commercial director, was this week appointed general secretary of the NBO after serving the pari-mutuel betting firm for almost two decades.
“Carl will front the association in all discussions with relevant Norwegian authorities, public consultations and debates, and any other processes we are involved in,” Sims told EGR Intel.
“He accepted the position because he believes that Norway must acknowledge the technological developments within online gambling.
“He is of the opinion that gambling companies should be regulated within a responsible licensing regime and should not be shut out of the market against the customers’ will,” he added.
The NBO will be fully active from 1 May 2019.