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 bill was approved on 22 December 2021, and it will come into effect on 1 January 2022.
In line with the Government Program, the key premise of the reform is that Finland’s gambling system will also in the future be based on the state monopoly.
Identification to be extended
The requirement to identify players will be extended to all of Veikkaus Oy’s games. Compulsory identification will be introduced in stages. All gambling will require identification in 2024 at the latest.
Comprehensive compulsory identification makes it possible to introduce restrictions and gambling blocks in all gambling offered by Veikkaus Oy.
Veikkaus Oy introduced compulsory identification at decentralized slot machines already in January 2021 and in the company’s own game rooms in July 2021.
The Act also lays down provisions on the use of game and player data collected as a result of the identification requirement. Veikkaus Oy is obliged to identify harmful gambling and intervene in it. In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare have the right to obtain data from Veikkaus Oy for assessing and monitoring the negative impacts of gambling.
Tougher regulation on marketing
The new Lotteries Act also specifies the content of the marketing allowed for Veikkaus Oy. The Act requires that marketing considered as a whole must be moderate. The marketing of particularly harmful games of chance, such as slot machines, will be prohibited.
According to the Act, all advertising by Veikkaus Oy must include information on the age limit for gambling, where to obtain information on tools for controlling gambling, and on services addressing gambling problems.
The marketing of betting games, which is currently prohibited, will be allowed to direct gambling towards gambling activities regulated by the Lotteries Act.
Measures will also be taken to intensify the monitoring of marketing that does not comply with the Lotteries Act. As a new tool, the National Police Board can propose to the Market Court an administrative penalty for violations.
Blocking payment transactions
One of the new features is the possibility to block payment transactions. This would target gambling companies that direct their marketing to mainland Finland in violation of the Lotteries Act as well as those whose marketing has been prohibited by the National Police Board.
The regulation on the blocking of payment transactions will enter into force at the beginning of 2023.
Read the full release HERE.
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