Norsk Tipping’s Eurojackpot scandal exposes a broken system

Norsk Tipping’s Eurojackpot scandal in Norway is more than a national embarrassment, it is “exhibit A” in the case against state gambling monopolies. As a result of the scandal, tens of thousands of Norwegians were falsely informed they had won millions of Kroner.  

The Norwegian monopoly’s CEO resigned. Then public trust collapsed. And yet, Eurojackpot and Norsk Tipping continue as if nothing has really happened. 

Who regulates the Eurojackpot draw?  

Eurojackpot is a transnational lottery draw run by 19 national monopolies, but without a proper supervisory mechanism. All operate the draw under the same brand, but without a shared regulator or any form of supranational oversight. Each monopoly guards its own turf.  

When the system fails in one country, the others simply carry on. In practice, Eurojackpot regulates itself. It can make severe mistakes without consequences for anyone but the players, who carry all the risk on behalf of the monopolies. 

On 27 June, Norwegian players experienced firsthand what this structure means in practice. Finland, which coordinates the Eurojackpot draw across all the participating countries, sent the results file to the 18 other participating countries.  

How did Norsk Tipping respond to the Eurojackpot scandal? 

Due to an error, the prize amounts in Norway were multiplied instead of divided. For example, a prize that should have been €3.50 was calculated as €350,000. Immediately, thousands of Norwegians received text messages claiming they had won millions, when in reality the winnings were only a few hundred kroner.  

The error was not immediately communicated, and many families began planning a new life – only to learn from the media they had been deceived and made fools of by the state monopoly they thought was trustworthy. 

The disaster unfolded on a Friday evening. Norsk Tipping did not send an apology until Monday morning, explaining officials had “not had time” to prioritise informing the players directly affected. Hardly credible. Such handling is unforgivable.  

And it is made worse by the fact that Eurojackpot’s structure is designed to push for ever-higher jackpots, selling the dream that anyone can win big. For many Norwegians, that dream spectacularly crashed on 27 June.  

An argument against gambling monopolies

State lottery monopolies were once sold to the public as guardians of responsibility and player protection. The reality is different. Shielded from competition, protected from meaningful oversight, they answer to no one – until scandal forces their hand. 

As long as Eurojackpot is run by national monopolies this must not remove the fundamental demand for better and more transparent supervision. No one should be their own supervisor. 

Under licensing, multiple operators compete under strict, enforceable rules. Oversight is continuous, breaches are punished swiftly and no operator can hide behind political protection or national borders.  

For players, for society and for the integrity of the industry, licensing means accountability. 

As we write this, another message arrives from Norsk Tipping: today’s (19 August) Eurojackpot prize forecast is postponed due to “a delay at the control centre in Germany”. Results will be published “as soon as everything is ready”, according to the Norwegian monopoly.  

It’s yet another example of Eurojackpot running the shop entirely on its own terms. There is no authority to set deadlines, impose quality standards or sanction failures. 

The Norsk Tipping Eurojackpot scandal should raise serious questions about the suitability of gambling monopolies in 2025. If 19 countries can share profits without sharing responsibility, the model is broken. And when a system is broken, you either replace it or repair it. 

Contributors:  

Mika Kuismanen – CEO, Finnish Trade Association for Online Gambling 

Gustaf Hoffstedt – secretary general, Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) 

Peter-Paul de Goeij – former managing director for Dutch trade body NOGA / managing consultant Quod Bonum 

Carl Fredrik Stenstrøm – secretary general at the Norwegian Trade Association for Online Gambling (NBO)