Norwegian Regulator Investigates Unpaid Horse Racing Bets From February

Norsk Rikstoto is under formal investigation after over 5,000 bets were placed without payment during two separate incidents earlier this year. The government-owned operator for horse racing experienced a major technical malfunction between 3 and 5 February, according to Norwegian racing publication Trav- og Galopp-Nytt.

These unpaid wagers were not quarantined from the system. Instead, they entered live betting pools for major racing products including Norway’s V75 and Sweden’s V86, two of Scandinavia’s most popular weekly horse racing formats. The bets reportedly participated with wagers from paying customers under normal conditions.

Regulator questions impact on betting pools and payouts

The Norwegian Gambling Authority, also known as Lotteritilsynet, has opened an investigation into the incidents. Under its gambling law, all bets must involve a paid stake. Credit betting and unpaid wagers are prohibited.

The regulator is now trying to determine whether prize pools and payouts were calculated as though the unpaid bets had genuinely contributed money into the pools. If this occurred, payout structures for legitimate customers may have been distorted. Norsk Rikstoto decided not to seek retroactive payment from the customers involved.

According to reports, the operator argued that charging players afterwards could have pushed some customers beyond their responsible gambling limits. As a result, bettors who placed unpaid wagers were allowed to retain any winnings generated. The company has been previously fined €507,910 for neglecting responsible gambling obligations.

Financial losses remain unclear after second malfunction

Authorities estimate the direct financial loss from the incidents between €100,000 and €200,000. However, reports suggest the overall impact could be higher depending on distribution and reinvestment of the winnings. Norsk Rikstoto has not released precise figures.

The issue also did not end with the February incident. A similar malfunction occurred again on 25 March. Lotteritilsynet was only informed about the second issue on 15 April, exceeding the regulator’s 72-hour reporting deadline for critical technical failures.

On 20 April, the regulator sent a follow-up request asking why the reporting delay occurred and why no loss threshold breaches were recorded during the second incident. The authority also requested clarification on whether questions raised during the February investigation had been properly addressed.

New betting system linked to technical concerns

Both incidents occurred after Norsk Rikstoto adopted a new betting platform from Australian technology company Betmakers. The transition seems to have introduced persistent vulnerabilities into the operator’s betting infrastructure.

Bror Helgestad, chairman of the Norwegian Trotting Association, previously warned that such technical failures could negatively affect financial distributions within the sport. Lotteritilsynet has requested a full report covering both incidents. The regulator will decide on further enforcement action once the investigation concludes.

Norsk Rikstoto has flagged two incidents involving over 5,000 unpaid bets on horse racing in Norway. This followed the operator’s adoption of a new platform from BetMakers. The regulator is presently investigating the cases and should enforce against breaches if necessary.