Finland’s Interior Ministry has unveiled proposals for a new Gambling Act aimed at modernizing the market.
The proposed legislation seeks to end the monopoly of state-owned Veikkaus Oy, which currently holds exclusive rights to sports betting and online casinos. Veikkaus’ regulatory mandate will expire at the end of 2026.
Prepared by a working group under the Interior Ministry, the draft law aims to introduce a licensing system to open up the online betting and gambling market to new competitors. The goal is to reduce gambling-related harm by attracting players to the regulated market. Previous discussions have noted that unlicensed operators handle an annual betting volume of €500 million.
The new regime will allow foreign and domestic companies to apply for online gambling licenses, which will be issued by the Finnish Supervisory Authority.
The Ministry of Finance is tasked with developing a plan to establish a new gambling supervisory authority with broad powers. This authority will replace the Finnish National Police Gambling Supervision Board and will combat illegal activities by imposing administrative sanctions, prohibiting gambling operations, revoking licenses, and supporting decisions with fines.
New legislation will tighten gambling enforcement with laws on customer registration, identity verification, and age limits for players. Customer protection measures will include a centralized player register for self-exclusion across all licensed operators to enhance consumer protection and reduce gambling-related harm.
The new Safer Gambling Directives will empower the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to monitor and evaluate gambling-related harm, conduct market research, and well-being studies in collaboration with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
Finland will also revise its gambling advertising laws to limit volume, visibility, and repetition. Stakeholders are warned that outdoor marketing will be prohibited.
The proposed changes will be implemented gradually, with licensing applications opening in early 2026 and gambling operations being licensed in 2027. Full compliance with gaming software licensing requirements is expected by 2028.
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