Norwegian Payments Ban Passes First Vote by 'Clear Majority'

Late last week, the Norwegian payments legislation passed its first vote in Parliament, IGamingNews has learned.

“The payments bill was debated on Nov. 28 with a clear majority vote for the proposal,” Rolf Francis Sims, the legal adviser to Norway’s Royal Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs, told IGN this morning. “In Norway we have a two-chamber system in Parliament, so the second debate with a new vote will take place on Dec. 4.”

The bill, which would prevent Norwegian banks and financial institutions, exclusively, from processing transactions for Internet gambling, was introduced in Parliament in September.

Trond Giske, the outspoken head of the culture and church affairs ministry who, previously, played an instrumental role in upending the country's commercial slot-machine market, was a key player in crafting the proposal.

Mr. Sims said earlier this month that in the proposal sent to Parliament, it was acknowledged that more detailed regulations may need to be written, which -- assuming the proposal passes -- could have an effect on the implementation date.