The Finnish government is looking to establish regulation of the gambling market by 2026. The finishing touches are being put in place to finalize the new system that will replace the current one. The current gambling monopoly in Finland is Veikkaus, a state-owned company and the sole operator of online and offline casinos. However, the monopolist will soon be squeezed out of the market by competitors.
The government plans to introduce licensing for private operators and is working on legislative proposals. The lists and types of permitted gambling, license fees, taxes, and marketing rules are being worked out now. These proposals will be submitted to Parliament in the spring of 2025.
The reform aims to reduce gambling harm and increase oversight of the industry. State-owned Veikkaus, in anticipation of the changes, plans to close gambling halls and cut staff. The government will also split Veikkaus into separate companies, reversing a previous merger as part of a crackdown on monopoly.
