Norway’s gambling regulator has ordered local banks to cut off the flow of money between Norwegian gamblers and unauthorized online gambling operators.

Norwegian media outlet Klassekampen recently reported that the Norwegian Gaming Authority (Lotteri-og Stiftelsestilsynet) had issued an order on March 29 requiring banks to cease processing transactions with seven companies as of April 24 following an audit of suspected illegal activity.

The affected companies include five international payment processors – Worldpay, Earth Port, Trustly, Inpay and Entercash – while the two other companies are local firms linked to gaming operators Stay Cool and Betclic Everest Group subsidiary Mangas Gaming.

Norway maintains a tight grip on its gambling market, reserving most activity outside of small-time lotteries for the state-owned Norsk Tipping. The local government had entertained the possibility of opening up the market to international online operators but these hopes were dashed last December when it was decided that private operators wouldn’t be willing to submit to the government’s idea of social responsibility.