Norway-facing online gambling operators could face further curbs on their ability to advertise via local media if the country’s increasingly paternalistic government gets its way.

Late last week, Norway’s Ministry of Culture proposed amending the nation’s Broadcasting Act to explicitly block local residents’ capacity to view advertising from international gambling sites that continue to serve local punters without the benefit of a local license (mainly because the government won’t issue any).

Minister Trine Skei Grande said the goal is to authorize the state media authority Medietilsysnet to “prevent or obstruct access to marketing of gambling” via television channels or broadband providers. The orders submitted to these providers would be mandatory, with appropriate punishments for recalcitrant media types.

The Ministry acknowledges that the proposed changes will have a direct financial impact on media outlets and thus it has begun a consultation to consider the media viewpoint before dismissing it altogether. Interested parties have been invited to make their futile submissions by June 17.