Gambling in the news and the revelation of market power: the case of Norway

Drawing on a statistical analysis of Norwegian newspapers, this paper explores the structure of power regulating the Norwegian gambling market. A basic assumption is that structures of power have to be identified before desirable changes of markets can be made. The analysis indicates that the press's view on gambling in the mid-2000s was split. Whereas governmental gambling services such as lotteries and bookmakers were seen from a market view in which gambling is seen as being like any other product on the market, non-governmental gambling services such as slot machines and online gambling services were seen from a medical point of view, which suggests that gambling is a dangerous source of addiction. The importance of this split should not be underestimated, as it legitimizes the state's gambling policy. To get a more complete picture of the structure of power regulating western gambling markets today, similar studies from other countries should be conducted.