Finnish Parliament approves major gambling reforms
Summary
Finland’s parliament approved a major overhaul of its gambling law at second reading, with over 94% support. The new Gambling Act paves the way for a competitive market launching on 1 July 2027, with operator licensing and authorisation to start in March 2026. Supervisory responsibility will move from the National Police Board to a newly established National Supervisory Authority. Key changes include strict marketing limits — an explicit ban on influencer marketing, prohibition of advertising likely to reach minors, requirements that marketing remain moderate in volume and visibility, and confinement of promotion largely to licence holders’ own channels. Search engine marketing is permitted, while payment blocking and network traffic restrictions are not introduced immediately; regulators will monitor market performance and may adopt further measures if unauthorised gambling persists.
Key Points
- Parliament approved the new Gambling Act at second reading with more than 94% support.
- Finland’s competitive gambling market is scheduled to open on 1 July 2027; licensing and authorisation begin March 2026.
- Supervision moves from the National Police Board to a new National Supervisory Authority, consolidating oversight.
- Marketing will be tightly restricted: influencer marketing banned, no targeting of minors, and promotion must be moderate in volume and visibility.
- Promotion is largely limited to licence holders’ own channels, but search engine marketing is allowed.
- No immediate payment blocking or network restrictions; authorities will closely monitor channeling effectiveness and may act later against unauthorised operators.
- Lawmakers stress harm prevention alongside market liberalisation, requiring ongoing assessment of regulatory resources and market outcomes.
Context and relevance
This reform is one of the most significant in Finnish gambling history, shifting the country from a monopoly-style approach towards a partially liberalised, licensed market. It will materially affect operators, affiliates, payment providers, compliance teams and regulators across Europe by redefining permissible marketing practices and creating a single supervisory authority. The phased timetable gives industry players time to prepare for licensing and to adapt compliance and marketing strategies.
Why should I read this?
Short version: this changes the game. If you work in iGaming, payments, compliance or advertising, the rules on who can advertise, how and where are being rewritten — and that will hit budgets and workflows. We skimmed the legislation so you don’t have to; read the detail if you need to plan product launches, licences or marketing campaigns in Finland.
Source
Source: https://next.io/news/regulation/finnish-parliament-approves-major-gambling-reforms/