Crackdown on gambling limits

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-13  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

NORWAY is imposing some of the world's strictest rules on video gambling machines in a drive to reduce the number of compulsive gamblers and save people from economic ruin, the minister of culture and churches said yesterday.

"There will be limits on how much an individual can lose, they will be closed at night and there will be a cooling-off period after one hour of continuous play," Trond Giske said.

The government has been concerned about the increasing number of Norwegians reported to be addicted to gambling, and in July 2007 it banned all privately owned machines while it looked for a way to regulate them.

Following the ban, the number of people who called a national gambling help line plunged from 2,276 in 2004 to 330 so far this year.

The new betting terminals will be operated only by the state lottery company Norsk Tipping. Its right to a monopoly on gambling in Norway was upheld by the European Free Trade Association and Norwegian courts last year.

"The new game terminals will be remote-controlled and strictly regulated to prevent people from developing a gambling problem," a statement said.

The machines will not take cash or credit cards, and can only be used with a prepaid card sold by Norsk Tipping to registered players over the age of 18.

The system will limit the amount that can be bet per game to 50 kroner (US$10), and set a loss limit of 400 kroner per day and 2,200 kroner per month per player, even if they have more than one card. After one hour of continuous play, the machines will refuse that player's bets for a 10-minute cooling-off period.