What’s Changed Since DNS Blocking in Norway? Not As Much As You’d Think

On January 1st, 2025, Norway officially rolled out DNS blocking — a new tool in the government’s ongoing effort to stop people from accessing unlicensed gambling sites. The idea was simple: make it harder for Norwegian players to reach international casino and betting platforms by blocking access to their websites at the domain level.

Six months later, it’s time to ask: has it actually changed anything?

Market Check-In: What’s Happened in 6 Months?To get a better sense of what’s going on, we spoke with an expert from Oddsbonuser.nu, a site that tracks gambling offers and operator activity in the Norwegian market. His take?

“It hasn’t made much of a difference,” says Daniel Myrdal. “Players who used these sites before are mostly still using them. The blocks are easy to bypass, and most people who want to play already know how.”

So, despite the headlines and government push, the gambling landscape in Norway looks… pretty familiar.

No Operators Have Left (Because They Already Did)It’s worth noting: no major operators have exited the market because of DNS blocking. The few big names that left — like Unibet and Betsson — did so long before this new measure came into play. Their decisions were driven by mounting legal pressure and payment blocks, not DNS filters.

Everyone who stayed? They knew what was coming and decided to stick around anyway.

Business as Usual — With Bonuses and PromotionsAnd those still in the game? They’re not slowing down. The same international operators that have been targeting Norwegian players for years are still going strong. New promos, updated casino games, fresh sports betting bonuses, extended variety of payment methods – all the attributes of a successful betting operator and even more. 

It’s clear that the DNS blocks haven’t discouraged these companies from doing what they’ve always done: offer Norwegians an alternative to Norsk Tipping.

A New Player Enters the Scene: BoabetHere’s something unexpected — not only have existing operators stayed, but a new one has joined the party. Meet Boabet, a fresh face in the Norwegian market that launched after DNS blocking began. 

Boabet seems unfazed by the restrictions. They’ve launched a full platform, are running promos in Norwegian, and are clearly aiming to carve out a slice of the market. If anything, their entry proves that DNS blocking isn’t scaring away new players.

So, What’s the Verdict?

After all the talk and the rollout of DNS blocking, the big picture is surprisingly unchanged. Players are still playing. Operators are still operating. And new brands are even entering the space.

In the end, the introduction of DNS blocking sounded like a game-changer, but six months in, it’s looking more like a small bump in the road.