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When Inter walked onto the pitch at Aspmyra on February 18 with “Betsson.sport” displayed across their shirts, it immediately raised eyebrows in Norway — both among fans and regulators.
The incident has now become a formal case at Norway’s gambling authority, Lotteritilsynet, according to statements given to Aftenposten.
Norway’s Strict Gambling Advertising Ban
Norway operates one of Europe’s most restrictive gambling frameworks. Only state-controlled Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto are permitted to market gambling products in the country.
In comments to Aftenposten, Tore Bell, Director at Lotteritilsynet, made clear that the advertising ban is interpreted broadly:
“Shirt sponsorship will fall under the marketing prohibition if the name being promoted is sufficiently well known that it is associated with gambling.”
The Betsson brand has been highly visible in Norway for nearly two decades — something that may weigh heavily in the regulator’s assessment.
Betsson Previously Ordered to Exit Norway
The current case does not occur in a vacuum.
In 2021, Lotteritilsynet issued a formal warning and order to cease operations against BML Group Limited, the company behind Betsson, Betsafe, NordicBet, CasinoEuro and Norgesautomaten. The regulator concluded that the company was unlawfully offering gambling services to Norwegian consumers without a license.
Following regulatory pressure and enforcement measures — including payment blocking mechanisms and cease-and-desist orders — several major international operators, including Betsson-linked brands, withdrew from the Norwegian market.
As a result, Betsson’s gambling products are no longer available to Norwegian players.
This background makes the shirt sponsorship particularly sensitive: while Betsson is not actively operating in Norway today, the brand remains strongly associated with gambling in the country due to its long historical presence and prior enforcement cases.
Potential Sanctions: Who Is Responsible?
Under Norway’s Gambling Act, violations of the marketing ban can lead to:
Orders to cease and correct the breach
Coercive fines
Administrative infringement fees
Lotteritilsynet confirmed to Aftenposten that the prohibition applies to both stadium advertising and shirt sponsorship.
What remains unclear is who could face potential sanctions — Inter as the advertising party, or Bodø/Glimt as match organizer.
“We have been in dialogue with Bodø/Glimt and feel the club has acted in an orderly manner. It is not certain that the club can be blamed, but we have not yet concluded or taken action in this case,” Bell told Aftenposten.
When asked whether Inter could receive a fine, Bell responded:
“That is possible, but it is a question we need to examine more closely.”
Betsson.sport: Information App or Indirect Gambling Promotion?
Inter wore “Betsson.sport” on their shirts — a Betsson-operated app focused on sports results and content.
The Italian club reportedly argued that the branding promoted a sports information app rather than gambling services, and therefore should not fall under Norway’s gambling advertising ban.
Lotteritilsynet has not accepted that argument at face value.
“That explanation is not necessarily one we will accept,” Bell told Aftenposten.
The core regulatory question may not be whether the app itself offers gambling, but whether the Betsson name — given its strong gambling association in Norway — constitutes indirect marketing under the law.
Bodø/Glimt: “We Informed Inter”
Bodø/Glimt maintains that it followed established procedures when hosting the Italian club.
According to press contact Niklas Aune Johnsen, speaking to Aftenposten, foreign opponents are informed both in writing and verbally about Norway’s strict alcohol and gambling advertising rules.
Inter received this information ahead of the February 18 match.
“They argued that they had clarified it with their federation and that it was acceptable,” Johnsen said.
“We chose to trust their explanation that it had been approved and did not follow it up further on matchday.”
Sporting Lisboa to Use Alternative Sponsor
The issue could have repeated itself in the next round, where Bodø/Glimt are set to face Sporting Lisboa — another club typically sponsored by a gambling operator.
This time, adjustments have already been made.
“We have already been in dialogue with Sporting, and they have confirmed that they will use a different shirt sponsor for the match played in Norway,” Johnsen told Aftenposten.
A Cross-Border Enforcement Signal?
The case illustrates the ongoing tension between cross-border football sponsorships and nationally restrictive gambling regimes.
While Betsson no longer operates in Norway following previous enforcement action, the regulator appears prepared to scrutinize brand exposure that could be interpreted as indirect marketing toward Norwegian consumers.
If Lotteritilsynet decides to impose sanctions, the case could send a strong signal to European clubs and gambling sponsors alike: Norway’s advertising restrictions apply even in international sporting contexts — and even when the operator itself has formally exited the market.
The regulator has not yet reached a final conclusion.
Sources: Aftenposten, Lotteritilsynet (2021 enforcement notice to BML Group Limited).
