Heads up! To all online casino players in Norway, let it be known that Skrill and Neteller halt all gambling-related operations in the country. The policy is effective immediately, so all gambling operators based in Norway had cut ties with the two biggest electronic currency wallets in the world.
Skrill and Neteller will no longer process Both online casino and Bitcoin casino payments coming from Norway. They also stop any deposits to any gambling operators based in the country. The two companies’ presence in Norway will stay, but their functionalities are only limited to the following:
- Personal money transfers
- Crypto service
- Non-gambling transactions
- ATM withdrawals
The lack of secured electronic cryptocurrency wallets in Norway already impacted players and affiliates alike. Deposits to Norwegian gambling merchants are already canceled, so all affiliate income flows from Norwegian players and bettors will be canceled as well. The good thing is that affiliates in Norway that focus on other markets that provide services for players across Europe, Asia, or Latin America can continue their businesses as usual.
Skrill and Neteller have yet to release a statement, so the main reasons behind their decisions remain unknown. However, various news outlets in Norway and the USA speculated that it might be due to Norway’s new instruments for regulating the online and offline casino industry.
With the two e-wallets gone, EcoPayz is the only option left for Norwegian players and operators using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. EcoPayz is a global payment solutions provider based in England.
Norway’s Gambling Market
Norway already mentioned changes in its legislative guides in early 2020. Since then, there have been measures implemented to provide strict player protection. Some of these policies had a direct effect on online deposits and withdrawals. Norway’s gambling regulators intend to take a holistic approach, and it includes monetary transactions.
Norway is among the few gambling markets in Europe that still use a state-run monopoly gambling model. So, at the moment, the country is not interested in discussing alternative modes to encourage market competition. Abid Raja, Minister of Culture & Gender Equality, even said that the country’s main goal is to “secure responsible gaming and to prevent gambling problems and other negative consequences.” at all costs.
