Draft decrees under the Gambling Act sent out for comments
The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments four draft decrees to be issued under the Gambling Act. A draft government decree covers the operation of gambling by the holder of an exclusive licence. The draft decrees of the Ministry of the Interior concern the rules of play for gambling operated by the exclusive licence holder, the operation of gambling by gambling licence holders in the competitive market, and the start of the period for claiming winnings. The deadline for submitting comments is 5 August 2026.
The draft government decree on the operation of gambling by the exclusive licence holder includes provisions on subjects such as the returns to players, the maximum number of slot machines at gambling retailers, the maximum number of gambling venues, and the maximum number of slot machines and casino games in gambling venues and casinos. The proposal would reduce the maximum number of gambling venues and the maximum number of slot machines and casino games to reflect changes in the operating environment, including lower levels of gambling and fewer gambling locations.
The draft decree of the Ministry of the Interior concerning the rules of play for gambling operated by the exclusive licence holder covers draw games, scratch cards, online instant games, slot machine games and casino games. The draft decree of the Ministry of the Interior on the operation of gambling in the competitive market lays down, among other things, provisions on the maximum permitted stakes for online casino games, and provisions on the features of online slot machine games. The draft decree of the Ministry of the Interior on the start of the period for claiming winnings specifies when the period for claiming winnings begins for different types of games.
The decrees have been drawn up during the follow-up phase of the legislative project to reform the gambling system. The project has covered the government decrees and the decrees of the Ministry of the Interior that, based on the assessment carried out during the project, should be issued at this stage as part of the new legislation on the gambling system.
Inquiries:
Jukka Tukia, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 573
The email addresses of the Ministry of the Interior are in the format [email protected].