Neteller and Skrill limit payments for Norwegian players

As in the rest of the world, online gambling is quite popular in Norway. This is despite the strict laws that govern gambling in the country. The Norwegian Gambling Authority (Lottstift) regulates on-line gambling activities. They oversee on legalities, player protection and the fairness of gaming operations and facilities. Online gambling is only permissible if it does not violate certain sections of Norway's Penal Code – mainly relating to criminal activity.

The licensed operators strive to give their customers the best in terms of convenience and security to make gambling more appealing to all Norwegian players. One of the ways they have implemented this is by providing for ewallets such as neteller and skrill as modes of payment. Skrill and Neteller casino has been the norm in Norway. Every reputable operator has included the option to pay via the two.

These methods are easy to use and offer an instant transfer system which enables individuals to send and receive funds in seconds worldwide. The funds can be deposited in different ways, including credit/debit cards, direct bank transfers, money transfers and e-wallets. They do this without the need to go through any lengthy registration processes or waiting periods. In addition, they do not require the customer to provide sensitive information such as their social security number or proof of address. Another feature that makes ewallets popular is the fact that they are safe ways of sending/receiving money. All funds are protected by 128-bit SSL encryption. This makes it impossible for anyone to steal personal information about an individual's financial activities.

This is why the decision by the two giants to leave the Norwegian market was such a blow to the online gambling industry. Neteller and Skrill announced this decision in early December 2020 and allowed the operators up to the 8th of December to inform their players of the withdrawal. The players themselves would be allowed to withdraw their winnings and deposits from the sites until 21st December.  After which they would have to find other means to withdraw their payouts.

An online gambling company thanked the two payment services for their contribution to Norway’s online industry and wished them luck in their future endeavours. “It is a pity though that they have left us as we had become dependent on them as our main source of payment,” says Tor Sigurd Haugen of Betsafe.

The withdrawal does not mean that the Neteller and Skrill accounts will be closed; their use will be limited to non-gambling activities. they will be able to make personal payments, withdraw cash through ATMs and transact in Crypto as they normally do.

Norwegian players can still use ecoPayz as their casino deposit method or as their ewallet method for receiving/sending funds online. It provides the same functionality albeit with a few differences. While some may be disappointed by the Neteller and Skrill withdrawal, others are happy that some services have not been affected by this decision.

There is a possibility that Neteller and Skrill will be re-admitted to the Norwegian market in the future, but it also might lead to other online payment services leaving the market as well. The impact of this decision on the online gambling industry will be keenly observed.