Search

Gambling legislation helps to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm In Finland, gambling games are run by the state-owned company Veikkaus Oy. In line with the Government Programme, the gambling system will be reformed by introducing licences t...

Interoperability

Questions and answers on gambling system reform General information on the gambling system reform Why switch over to a licensing system and retain a partial monopoly system instead of, for example, strengthening the current system based on the Vei...

15.1.2026 | Veikkaus Oy’s monopoly on running gambling games will end. Under the new Gambling Act, the running of betting games, online slot and casino games, and online money bingo will be opened to competition under a licensing system. In its session on 15 January, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the Gambling Act on 16 January. Most provisions of the new act will enter into force on 1 July 2027. 

26.1.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has supplemented the decree on fees charged for services provided by the police in 2026 with licence fees related to gambling services under the new Gambling Act. The new fees will be charged for an exclusive licence, a gambling licence and an authorisation for international cooperation for the holder of an exclusive licence or a gambling licence. The fees will also be charged for the alteration of an exclusive licence or a gambling licence.

20.3.2025 | Today, the Government submitted to Parliament a legislative proposal on a new gambling system. The Government proposes to end Veikkaus' gambling games monopoly in betting and in online slot machine and casino games at the end of 2026, and to open the provision of these games to competition.

21.4.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to prepare amendments to the Lotteries Act and the Gambling Act concerning the claiming of winnings, with the aim of making it possible to give scratch cards as gifts. The project will run until 31 December 2026.

3.7.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior is requesting comments on the draft government proposal for a new gambling act. The reform of the gambling system is based on the Government Programme. Under the proposal, Veikkaus Oy would no longer hold the monopoly to arrange betting and online slot machine games and casino games. These games would be opened up to competition by means of licensing as laid out in the Government Programme.

24.10.2023 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project on the reform of the gambling system. The project will prepare for the introduction of a licence system for gambling in accordance with the Government Programme.

Government Programme measures in the police sector The Government Programme aims to strengthen security and society's resilience. Police presence will be secured throughout the country. The Government will step up the combating of crime to improve...

17.4.2023 | The final report of the preliminary study on the monopoly for gambling activities was submitted to the Ministry of the Interior on 17 April 2023. The objective of the project, for which the Ministry of the Interior appointed a research group on 5 January 2023, was to describe the current state of affairs and map out alternative models for the gambling system to support political decision-making. 

Syftet med projektet är att reformera penningspelssystemet i enlighet med regeringsprogrammet och bereda ett förslag till en rättslig grund för att övergå till ett licenssystem.

Hankkeen tavoitteena on selvittää rahapelijärjestelmän uudistamista hallitusohjelman mukaisesti ja valmistella ehdotus lisenssijärjestelmään siirtymistä koskevaksi säädösperustaksi.

22.12.2021 | The Lotteries Act that regulates gambling will be amended. The focus of the reform is on preventing harm caused by gambling, combating marketing that violates the Lotteries Act, and directing the demand for gambling towards activities that are covered by the Lotteries Act. The President of the Republic approved the bill on 22 December 2021. The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2022.

23.9.2021 | The Lotteries Act regulating gambling will be amended. The key proposals of the reform include preventing the harm caused by gambling, combating marketing that violates the Lotteries Act, and directing the demand for gambling towards services that are provided under the Lotteries Act. The Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to reform the Lotteries Act on 23 September 2021. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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