Norsk Tipping study links care calls to lower gambling activity and loss-limit cuts
2026-07-30
Source: iGaming Business
A Norsk Tipping study of 4,752 at-risk customers found that duty-of-care calls were followed by reduced gambling activity, with 43.7% of call recipients lowering their loss limits. The strongest effects appeared among players flagged for early risk indicators, while persistent high-risk customers responded least to a single call.
Newly released research from Norway's state-owned gambling operator Norsk Tipping indicates that proactive support calls can lead to measurable reductions in gambling behaviour, especially when action follows early risk signals. The study examined account data from 4,752 customers targeted for duty-of-care calls between 2022 and 2024, with behaviour compared across the 12 weeks before and after call attempts. Norsk Tipping has run this type of intervention since 2015.
Roughly 68.2% of targeted customers answered at least one call attempt, and 57.3% completed a full conversation. During the calls, 43.7% of participants chose to reduce their loss limits, 12.6% opted for self-exclusion, and 0.7% took a temporary pause. Across the entire sample, consistent declines were recorded in days gambled, total wagers, net losses, theoretical loss, and number of deposits, with the largest drops seen in days gambled, net losses and theoretical loss. These changes were modest yet consistent in size.
The most pronounced improvements came from players identified by the operator's Spillepuls risk tool as young big losers, new customers with high losses, or those who had recently risen to high-risk status. Self-referred customers and younger players were also more likely to lower their loss limits during the call. Those who adjusted their limits showed greater subsequent reductions in play than customers who kept their limits unchanged.
Early-risk indicators, such as Spillepuls flags, recent upward movement in risk level, self-referral, or significant losses among young and new players, were associated with stronger engagement and larger behavioural gains. Conversely, customers stuck in persistent high-risk patterns responded less to a single call, suggesting that a one-off conversation may be insufficient for this group.
Methodologically, calls were triggered when players sustained large losses within a specific age bracket, when new customers recorded high losses, or when Norsk Tipping's Playscan system flagged persistent or newly developed high-risk status. Trained staff made up to three attempts per customer and used a motivational interviewing approach.