TLDR Progress Party politician Himanshu Gulati called Norway’s gambling monopoly “irrational” at an industry event He argued Norwegians are already gambling on offshore sites, undermining the monopoly’s funding purpose Gulati said foreign operators bring responsible gambling tools Norway’s system currently lacks The Progress Party has rising poll numbers, putting reform higher on the political agenda Finland is opening its market in 2027, which would leave Norway as Europe’s only full gambling monopoly Norway’s Gambling Monopoly Faces Fresh Political Pressure
Norway’s gambling monopoly is under growing political pressure, with a senior opposition figure making one of the strongest cases yet for reform.
Himanshu Gulati, a politician with the Progress Party, spoke at the Norwegian Trade Association of Online Gambling’s annual gathering on June 16, 2026. He argued that the current system no longer reflects how Norwegians actually gamble.
Gulati called for a licensed market model, saying the debate has been driven by ideology rather than evidence. He said both sides should at least agree on the facts before deciding whether the monopoly still works.
A key argument for Norway’s monopoly has always been that it funds sport, voluntary organisations and community activities. Gulati challenged that logic.
He pointed out that many Norwegians are already using offshore gambling websites that sit outside the state system. If that money is leaving the regulated market, he argued, policymakers need to ask whether the monopoly is still the best way to raise funds for those causes.
Harm Reduction and Match-Fixing Also Raised
Gulati also said Norway is missing out on harm reduction expertise by keeping international operators out of its market.
He argued that companies working across multiple countries have built strong responsible gambling tools over many years. Bringing them into a licensed Norwegian market could improve player protections, he said.
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