Fact Check: "Norsk Tipping faces heavy criticism for repeated technical failures!"
What We Know
Norsk Tipping, Norway's state-owned gambling company, recently faced significant backlash after a technical error led to nearly 50,000 individuals receiving incorrect notifications about lottery winnings. This incident occurred during the EuroJackpot draw, where a coding mistake caused the company to mistakenly inform players of "erroneously high prizes" (Nierenberg, 2025). The error was attributed to a "manual error" in the conversion code that incorrectly multiplied prize amounts instead of dividing them (Nierenberg, 2025).
Following the incident, the chief executive, Tonje Sagstuen, resigned, and the acting CEO publicly apologized, acknowledging the disappointment caused to the affected players (Nierenberg, 2025). The company has also been criticized by both customers and government officials for this failure, which has been described as a breach of trust (Nierenberg, 2025; Brustad, 2025).
Moreover, this incident is not isolated; Norsk Tipping has reported "several serious errors" and "technical problems" over the past year, indicating a pattern of issues that have raised concerns about the company's operational reliability (The Register, 2025).
Analysis
The claim that Norsk Tipping is facing heavy criticism for repeated technical failures is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The New York Times reports on the recent lottery error and the subsequent resignation of the CEO, highlighting the widespread disappointment and anger among customers (Nierenberg, 2025). This aligns with statements from Sylvia Brustad, the board chairwoman, who admitted that "trust has been broken" and emphasized the company's commitment to improvement (Nierenberg, 2025).
Additionally, The Register notes that the Norwegian Gambling Authority has previously proposed fines for failures related to Norsk Tipping's self-exclusion tool, which further underscores the company's ongoing technical challenges (The Register, 2025). This history of issues suggests that the recent lottery error is part of a larger pattern of operational difficulties.
While the sources cited are reputable, it is essential to consider potential biases. As a state-owned entity, Norsk Tipping operates under regulatory scrutiny, which may influence how its failures are reported. However, the consistency across various reports regarding the technical errors and the company's acknowledgment of these issues lends credibility to the claim.
Conclusion
The verdict is True. Norsk Tipping has indeed faced heavy criticism for repeated technical failures, most notably highlighted by the recent lottery winnings error that affected tens of thousands of players. The company's acknowledgment of multiple technical problems and the resignation of its CEO further validate the claim of ongoing operational issues and public discontent.
