Search

7.1.2021 | On 7 January 2021, the Ministry of the Interior sent out for comments a proposal for reforming the Lotteries Act, which regulates gambling in Finland. The key points of the proposal include preventing the harm caused by gambling in an effective manner, combating marketing that violates the Lotteries Act, and securing Veikkaus Oy’s capacity to channel the demand for gambling. The basic premise of ...

28.4.2020 | The loss limits of Veikkaus Oy's fast-paced gambling games are to be lowered. The maximum loss limit will be lowered to EUR 500 (now 2,000) per month and EUR 500 (now 1,000) per day. Amendments to the Act will enter into force on 1 May and will remain in force until 30 September 2020. The aim of the amendments is to prevent and reduce more effectively economic, social and health harm caused by gambling during the coronavirus epidemic.

31.1.2020 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project focused on a reform to the Lotteries Act. In line with the Government Programme, the goal is to determine any needs to reform the Lotteries Act, especially with an eye on further enhancing the prevention and reduction of the harmful effects of gambling. Moreover, legislative means to support the operating conditions of Veikkaus Oy and strengthen the exclusive right system will also be examined

18.12.2020 | Amendments to legislation and decrees applying to the police, immigration and border control will enter into force at the beginning of 2021, of which the most important ones are explained in this release.

29.5.2019 | The Ministry of the Interior examined the needs to develop gambling legislation. The pilot study assessed, for example, whether gambling harms could be reduced by using technical blocking measures to restrict gambling offerings against the Lotteries Act.

26.2.2021 | A study on the effects of diminished proceeds from gambling activities has been completed. The study examines four options for developing the Finnish gambling system. The working group sets as its primary option a comprehensive overhaul that would place gambling proceeds within the scope of universal coverage in central government revenue and existing beneficiaries would be under the spending limits procedure. The report was published on 26 February.

16.5.2019 | In order to reduce the negative economic, social and health impacts of gambling, players are in future required to identify themselves when they play slot machines found in shops or kiosks, for example.

21.11.2019 | The Government has appointed a new Advisory Board on Gaming for the parliamentary term 2019–2023. According to the Lotteries Act, the task of the Advisory Board is to monitor the achievement of gambling policy goals and development needs in order to maintain and strengthen the exclusive right system.

23.5.2018 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a new project to reform the Lotteries Act. The previous reform of the Lotteries Act focused on the merger of the gambling operators. The new Veikkaus — a fully State-owned Finnish gambling company — started operating at the beginning of 2017. The current project will prepare legislative amendments concerning the introduction of compulsory identification...

25.10.2018 | In order to reduce the negative economic, social and health impacts of gambling, the Government is proposing requiring players to identify themselves when they play slot machines found in shops or kiosks, for example. The proposal on this matter was submitted to Parliament on 25 October.

11.12.2017 | Players will be able to have only one game account for the online betting games offered by Veikkaus Oy. The online casino accounts and other online betting game accounts that Veikkaus has opened to its players will be combined into a single game account. This game account will be applied to all online betting games made available by Veikkaus. In connection with this, the gaming limitations set for online gaming will also be harmonised.

21.6.2018 | It is proposed that players of slot machines located across the country, excluding those located in game arcades, be required to identify themselves from the start of 2021. Compulsory identification would make it technically possible to introduce restrictions to manage at-risk gambling on slot machines too. At the moment, players must identify themselves when they play Veikkaus online games. The propo...

18.3.2016 | Esitys uudesta rahapeliyhtiöstä lausunnoille

28.2.2019 | The Ministry of the Interior requested local rescue departments to conduct a survey on the safety of exiting so-called escape rooms in their area. The survey was carried out in cooperation with the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency TUKES that monitors the safety of consumer services in Finland. The motivation for the survey was a fire in an escape room in Poland in the beginning of January that killed 5 people and left one severely injured.

17.3.2020 | The Government has decided to begin restricting cross-border traffic at Finland’s borders starting on Thursday 19 March at midnight. Border-crossing points will be closed and border controls will be reintroduced. The police will monitor, within the limits of their resources, compliance with the restrictions on public gatherings imposed due to the coronavirus and, if necessary, provide executive assistance to other authorities.

15.10.2015 | Uuteen rahapeliyhtiöön tähtäävän lainsäädännön valmistelu alkaa

25.2.2014 | Talouspoliittinen ministerivaliokunta linjasi toimenpiteitä rahapelimonopolin vahvistamiseksi

30.6.2015 | Rahapeliyhtiöiden yhdistyminen etenee

17.9.2015 | Kaikkien kolmen rahapeliyhteisön rahapelitoimintojen yhdistäminen aloitetaan

10.9.2014 | Finnish gambling model