In Norway, slot machine gambling always managed to stay under the radar in a matter of speaking. For years, charity groups like the Red Cross and the Norwegian Cancer Society have been allowed to operate their very own casino-style slot machines in order to generate badly needed revenue. The same holds true for volunteer groups and sports clubs. However, this is all about to change, for the Norwegian state has declared that by July 1 all slot machines not operated by the Norwegian state lottery monopoly, Norsk Tipping, must be shut down and removed.

Being called "a bid to fight gambling addiction", the move by the government to monopolize all slot machines in Norway has come at a time in which most of the current slot machine operators are accustomed to relying on their gambling revenue. In 2005, the Norway Red Cross, for instance, derived over half of its revenue from the slot machines it operates, while the Cancer Society derives a third of its revenue from slots.Countless private operators, ranging from gas stations to grocery stores, will all have to comply with the State order as well.

However, all is not as gloom as it may first seem. All of the casino-style slots will be replaced with machines operated by Norsk Tipping, who will share a portion of all future slot revenues with their hosts. How does this fit into the government's bid to cut back on problem gambling you ask? Their answer is that the slot machines will be far less marketed to the public than has been done in the past.

Many Norwegians are wondering why the government could not just then impose stricter regulations on the marketing of the slots. Well, obviously there is more to the matter than meets the eye. Considering that gaming revenues have tripled in the five years from 2001 through 2006, it should be interesting to see if "heavy marketing" was the cause all along, or whether Norwegians just simply love their slot machines.