Norsk Tipping could get NOK 25 million fine for technical error that excluded thousands from lottery draw

• The Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority warns Norsk Tipping of a potential NOK 25 million fine after 16,698 players were excluded from the April 2025 Easter Lotto super draw
• A technical error deleted players who had purchased lottery tickets through cooperative banks during the Christmas and New Year period, preventing their participation in the Easter draw
• This marks the latest in a series of violations by the state-owned operator, which has already been fined NOK 84.5 million this year for other technical failures

Norway’s gambling regulator has warned state lottery operator Norsk Tipping of another potential fine worth NOK 25 million (€2.1 million) following a technical error that excluded thousands of players from this year’s Easter lottery draw.

The Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority announced that 16,698 players were wrongfully excluded from the April 19, 2025 Easter Lotto super draw due to a technical malfunction.

The error occurred when players who had purchased lottery tickets through cooperative banks during the Christmas and New Year period were accidentally deleted from the system, preventing their participation in the Easter draw.

According to the regulator, the exclusion meant that 52 incorrect winners were drawn for million-kroner prizes during the super draw. Norsk Tipping has since refunded the stakes to all affected players who were unable to participate in the draw.

Gross negligence allegations

The lottery authority characterised Norsk Tipping’s handling of the incident as “grossly negligent”.

Tore Bell, department director of the Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority emphasised the severity of the breach, stating that the draw was not conducted properly according to gambling legislation.

“This error led to the drawing of 52 incorrect winners of million prizes. The Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority views this case very seriously and warns of a fee of up to 25 million kroner,” the regulator announced.

Pattern of technical failures

The potential NOK 25 million penalty represents the latest in a series of fines imposed on Norsk Tipping throughout 2025. The state-owned operator has already received three separate penalties totalling NOK 84.5 million this year.

These include a NOK 46 million fine for systematic lottery draw errors affecting Eurojackpot and Lotto games dating back to 2015, a NOK 36 million penalty for self-exclusion system failures, and a NOK 2.5 million fine for incorrectly paying out NOK 25 million to a casino player.

The regulator is also considering an additional NOK 10 million fine related to incorrect prize notifications sent to thousands of Eurojackpot players in June 2025.

Regulatory oversight intensifies

Bell confirmed that the Norwegian Lottery and Foundation Authority plans to conduct comprehensive supervision of Norsk Tipping’s major lottery games this autumn. The enhanced oversight will focus on Lotto, Eurojackpot, and Vikinglotto operations.

“All these cases make it decisive that Norsk Tipping tightens routines, control and quality of what they do. Therefore, we have warned of a larger supervision this autumn where we look at Lotto, Eurojackpot and Vikinglotto,” Bell declared for Norwegian paper Sol.

The accumulation of technical errors and regulatory violations has raised questions about Norsk Tipping’s operational controls and quality assurance procedures, particularly given its monopoly position in the Norwegian gambling market.