Finnish Government Approves New Gambling Framework

The Finnish parliament has greenlit the proposed gambling framework changes, paving the way to competitive gaming despite certain opposition to the reforms. This means that the local gaming sector could experience some sweeping changes very soon.

The Gambling Reforms Have Reached the President

At second reading, the parliament decided to greenlight the proposed gambling reforms, which are set to end Finland’s gambling monopoly. Having secured approval from 94% of parliament members, the new gaming framework is now heading to the Finnish president who will decide its ultimate fate.

Under the new framework, Finland would adopt a competitive gaming model, in line with the majority of European countries. This would be a major change for Finland and a golden opportunity for gaming companies, which will be able to tap into another promising market.

If the president sins the new framework into law, Finland’s competitive market will go live on July 1, 2027. This means that the country will have a year and a half to prepare for the coming of regulated gaming and adapt accordingly.

Under the new framework, the National Police Board will no longer be responsible for regulating gaming. Instead, the responsibilities will be transferred to a newly created National Supervisory Authority.

There Were Some Disagreements

However, not everyone seems to be on the same page. Due to earlier disagreements surrounding the gambling ad regulations, the current version of the reformed gaming framework envisions significant restriction. Under those, operators will only be allowed to market within their existing channels, limiting the people they reach but also the potential harm they could cause.

Some, however, argued that this will limit the competitiveness of the legal market, potentially leading to weaker channelization.

The previous few weeks also saw lawmakers debate a variety of other issues, such as the legal gambling age, two-factor authentication upon user login, and a potential ban on gambling bonuses.