Norsk Tipping faces yet another regulatory fine after repeated lottery draw errors.
Norsk Tipping, Norway’s state-owned lottery operator, is confronting the possibility of a substantial fine of up to NOK25m (€2.13m) following serious technical failures in its 19 April Super Draw. The Norwegian Lottery Authority revealed that 52 million-kroner prize winners were incorrectly selected due to the deletion of players who submitted bets via cooperative banks over the Christmas and New Year period. This glitch excluded 16,698 participants, representing 0.2% of total entries, resulting in an inaccurate draw and invalid outcomes.
While Norsk Tipping refunded the affected players, regulators confirmed that the draw breached the Gambling Act. Department director Tore Bell described the incident as gross negligence, noting that the operator had prior knowledge of systemic flaws but still allowed the draw to proceed. Compounding the issue, the company initially misreported the draw as properly conducted, further undermining public trust.
This is not an isolated event. Norsk Tipping has faced multiple fines over the past year, including penalties for incorrect payouts, breaches of self-exclusion requirements, and errors in Eurojackpot and Lotto super draws, the last of which led to the resignation of former CEO Tonje Sagstuen.
Regulators are now planning a broad inspection this autumn covering Lotto, Eurojackpot, and Vikinglotto to evaluate internal routines, control mechanisms, and quality standards. Officials emphasise that it is now the responsibility of Norsk Tipping to demonstrate that it can correct these recurring failures and restore confidence in Norway’s national lottery framework. This latest fine and regulatory scrutiny underline the critical importance of operational accuracy and compliance in state-run gaming operations.
