Fact Check: "Norsk Tipping has faced criticism for technical problems in the past year."
What We Know
Norsk Tipping, Norway's state-owned gambling company, has recently been at the center of controversy due to a significant error involving the Eurojackpot lottery. On June 30, 2025, the company mistakenly notified approximately 47,000 individuals that they had won substantial prizes, only to later clarify that these notifications were incorrect due to a coding error in the conversion of Euro amounts to Norwegian kroner. Instead of dividing the amounts by 100, the system multiplied them, resulting in exaggerated prize notifications (BBC, New York Times).
Following this incident, CEO Tonje Sagstuen resigned, acknowledging the breach of trust and the justified criticism from both customers and regulators. She expressed regret for the disappointment caused to the affected individuals, many of whom had begun planning significant purchases based on the erroneous notifications (BBC, The Guardian). Norsk Tipping has admitted to experiencing "several serious errors" and "technical problems" over the past year, indicating a pattern of issues that have drawn criticism (BBC, CNN).
Analysis
The claim that Norsk Tipping has faced criticism for technical problems in the past year is substantiated by multiple reliable sources. The recent incident involving the erroneous lottery notifications is a clear example of a technical failure that led to widespread public outcry. The company's admission of experiencing "several serious errors" and the acknowledgment of justified criticism from both customers and regulators further support this claim (BBC, The Guardian).
The reliability of the sources used in this analysis is high. The BBC, New York Times, and CNN are well-respected news organizations known for their rigorous fact-checking and journalistic standards. The statements from Norsk Tipping's CEO and board members provide direct insights into the company's internal acknowledgment of the issues, reinforcing the credibility of the claims made regarding the technical problems and subsequent criticisms (BBC, New York Times, CNN).
Conclusion
The verdict on the claim that "Norsk Tipping has faced criticism for technical problems in the past year" is True. The evidence clearly indicates that the company has encountered significant technical issues, particularly highlighted by the recent lottery notification error, which has led to justified criticism from customers and regulatory bodies alike.
