At the beginning of 2022, Lotteritilsynet, Norway’s gambling regulator, warned Kindred Group that it risks fines if it continues its unlicensed operations in the country. The authority is now preparing to penalize the operator as the latter refuses to have its subsidiary quit the Norwegian market.
Lotteritilsynet Warns Trannel for the Last Time
Trannel International Limited, which is owned by Kindred Group, offers gambling through its Bingo, Mariacasino, Storspiller and Unibet brands. However, under the Norwegian gambling regime, only Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto are allowed to offer games of chance in the country. As a result, Trannel’s operations are considered illegal and the company is in breach of the law.
Kindred has previously addressed the matter, claiming that its operations are not breaching Norwegian law. The operator firmly stated that none of its offerings are illegal and therefore it won’t pull out from the market.
Almost a year after the warning, the regulator has decided to penalize Kindred Group for its refusal to comply and remove Trannel’s offerings from the Norwegian market. As per Norway’s regulations, Lotteritilsynet’s measures will kick in three weeks after the announcement. If Kindred still fails to leave the market within that frame, it will owe $117,000 for each day it continues to operate in Norway.
Trannel Remains Stubborn
This isn’t the first clash between Lotteritilsynet’s and Trannel. The operator first came under fire in 2019, when it was ordered to immediately leave Norway. The company appealed the decision but the Oslo District Court rejected the appeal. Despite that, Trannel did not comply with the order.
Henrik Nordal, department director for Lotteritilsynet, warned that Kindred’s subsidiary now risks a fine of up to $42.8 million, which is the penalty cap for non-complying offshore operators. He blasted the operator for not caring about those who struggle with problem gambling and pointed out that Kindred’s games are much more volatile and dangerous.
Nordal emphasized that more than half of the bettors in Norway are unaware that Trannel’s offerings are illegal. He asked Trannel to be more socially responsible and concluded that Lotteritilsynet will do everything in his power to curb unlicensed operators.
Despite the ongoing battle with Trannel, Norway has largely been successful in its battle against the black market. As a result, Norsk Tipping, Norway’s gambling monopoly, vowed to scale down its advertising efforts. The operator explained that it no longer needs to compete with a myriad of offshore brands and, as a result, wants to expose Norwegian citizens to fewer gambling ads.
