PokerStars officially withdrew from the Norway market on Thursday for “commercial reasons.” [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Many fans of online poker in Norway are now on the lookout for a new platform. Flutter Entertainment-owned PokerStars is no longer accepting players from the country, shutting down its Norwegian operations on Thursday after being in market for more than two decades. The operator cited “commercial reasons” as the reason for the exit.

Users in Norway will still be able to access their accounts for some time, allowing them to withdraw any funds that they might have.

Numerous other online gambling operators also previously decided to exit the Norwegian market, including bet365, Betsson, and Kindred brands. The legal framework for online gambling in the country is the reason why operators are leaving in their droves.

The Norwegian Gambling Authority announced in September that any unlicensed platforms still running in the country will be subject to significant financial penalties. Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping currently have a monopoly on the country’s licensed gambling scene.

Parliament has given the regulator additional powers to help enforce the crackdown

Norway’s Parliament has given the regulator additional powers to help enforce the crackdown, including blocking the IP addresses of these websites and having Norwegian financial institutions no longer process payments.