Finland is set to implement significant reforms in its gambling regulations through a new Lottery Act aimed at mitigating the drawbacks of gambling, according to the Ministry of the Interior. One of the key features of this legislation is the introduction of payment blocking for non-Veikkaus operators that target the Finnish market with their advertising. Law enforcement will maintain a list of gambling companies whose transactions banks and payment service providers should deny.
Furthermore, the proposals will extend mandatory identification measures—previously assigned to Veikkaus slots—to all types of gambling, with implementation expected by 2024.
The Lottery Act will also alter marketing regulations by prohibiting advertisements for certain gambling games, such as slot machines, identified as particularly harmful. Operators will be required to include essential information in their marketing communications, such as age restrictions for gambling, options for self-exclusion, and resources for gambling addiction support.
Violations of marketing regulations could result in penalties from the Police Board. However, the revised law does present new opportunities for advertising. It will allow the marketing of previously banned betting games, like toto games, which officials believe will guide players towards regulated offerings.
Additionally, Veikkaus will need to reassess the placement of gaming machines within its venues to ensure they can be effectively monitored. Both Veikkaus and its machine suppliers are expected to create a self-monitoring plan to adhere to harm prevention and control principles. Veikkaus, which has recently imposed mandatory loss limits on physical slot machines, will also form a subsidiary focused on B2B operations.
