Norway launches crackdown on sports betting manipulation

Norway has launched a comprehensive national plan to combat the growing threat of sports betting manipulation, a coordinated effort involving the government, gaming companies, sports organisations, law enforcement, and the national regulator, Lottstift.

The plan, covering the period 2025–2028, addresses increasing concerns around illegal betting and match-fixing, particularly as international operators offer more bets on Norwegian sports.

At the heart of the issue is match manipulation, where games or specific actions within matches are deliberately influenced—often by players, officials, or others—in return for financial gain, frequently linked to illegal betting markets. These activities threaten the integrity of sports and are notoriously difficult to detect without systemic collaboration and monitoring.

According to Eirik Tysse, Senior Advisor at Lottstift, "Steps are being taken to strengthen preventive work and increase the chances of uncovering and responding to manipulation of sports competitions."

The plan introduces a three-pronged strategy:

• Defining Responsibilities and Enhancing Cooperation Key parties—including the Norwegian Sports Federation, Football Association, Trotting Society, Rikstoto, Norwegian Betting, the Police, and the Ministry of Culture—will formally anchor their roles and responsibilities. Clear reporting pathways will be established, allowing sports bodies and gaming operators to flag suspicious activity directly to authorities.
• Preventive Education and Threat Assessments Targeted information campaigns will raise awareness about how manipulation works and which sports are most vulnerable. These will be accompanied by biannual threat assessments, evaluating the manipulation risks in all Norwegian sports, with a focus on educating athletes, coaches, and officials.
• Detection and Response Systems Betting companies will be pushed to adopt robust systems that track irregular betting patterns and flag suspicious activity in real time. Enhanced information sharing—both nationally and internationally—is a cornerstone of this effort, enabling faster intervention and investigations.

Officials warn that many betting companies still fail to report abnormal activity, a gap the new strategy hopes to close. With foreign operators increasingly targeting Norwegian events, regulators believe a unified and proactive approach is now essential to protect the integrity of domestic sports.