PokerStars is set to exit Norway at the end of this month. An email was sent to players last week informing them that starting Thursday, October 26, their online services will no longer be available.
In a statement issued on Friday, a representative from PokerStars acknowledged the impending withdrawal from the Norwegian market, citing “commercial reasons” as the driving force behind this decision.
NORWAY BEGINS TARGETING SELECTED PAYMENT PROCESSORS, ONLINE SITES
In September, following consecutive years of legal conflicts, Lottstift, Norway’s Gambling Authority, declared that all unlicensed operators must discontinue their illegal offerings or face severe financial consequences.
The threat was made directly against 15 websites, primarily operated by Kindred, Betsson, and ComeOn. Lottstift made no mention of PokerStars’ market activity.
Lottstift stated that new rulings by Storting (Parliament) had granted the authority direct powers to block IP access to illegal websites and to demand that Norwegian banks and financial services terminate monetary transactions with unlicensed operators.
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Before the enforcement, Lottstift had been involved in several lawsuits against European operators who disputed the gambling authority’s rules. They argued that these rules favored the monopoly practices of Norsk Tipping and Rikstoto, and were in breach of EU competition laws.
September’s announcement was deemed by Lottstift Director Henrik Nordal as a decisive victory for Norway, ending the activities of unlicensed operators, who will no longer be able to target national consumers.
“For commercial reasons, we have decided to stop offering our products to residents of Norway from 26 October 2023 and have informed our customers accordingly,” PokerStars told.
The operator assured its customers that they would still retain access to their accounts, and their funds would remain secure, allowing for withdrawals at their convenience. Real-money online poker play will continue to be available.
