Finnish Online Casinos: Gambling Laws and Regulations in Finland
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People in Finland are spending considerable amounts of money gambling each year. And since the state owns the gambling operators, the good news is that the gambling revenue is then given back to the population.
According to the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, it goes to the funding of sporting and physical education, science, art, youth care, health, social well-being, horse sports, and horse breeding.
Only Finland-based operators are allowed to offer gaming services in the country, and foreign operators are prohibited.
Here are some gambling statistics in Finland according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare:
- 78% of the population between 15 and 74 years had gambled in 2018
- 29% of people had gambled at least once a week
- The most popular games are Lotto, scratch cards, and slots
- 36% of respondents participated in online gambling
- Men gambled more than women, but not by far (82%-75%)
- Finns lost 1.69 billion euros to gambling in 2019
Gambling Insider mentions that:
- Veikkaus had a turnover of 3.2 billion euros in 2017
- It has more than 2 million customers
- Their online casino attracts around 700,000 players each week
Reform of the Lotteries Act
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The latest changes to the Lotteries Act took place in September 2021, and their main goal was to combat gambling-related harm.
The changes include:
1. Mandatory verification - all gambling activities will require ID verification until 2023, and scratch cards will be included as well until 2024. This will allow the state to introduce restrictions or block certain people. Players can also self-impose gambling blocks.
2. Tougher laws on gambling marketing - the advertising of harmful games such as slots will be prohibited. In visual ads, the advertisers should mention the legal age and the option of self-imposed gambling blocks, as well as the help services for gambling problems.
The monitoring of marketing activities will be increased, and penalties will be given to those violating the terms.
3. Blocking of payments - the Finnish government wants to block offshore gambling companies that aim their marketing to mainland Finland, which were prohibited by the national police.
The National Police Board will keep a list of forbidden companies and offer them to banks and payment providers for blocking.
4. Placement of slot machines - these should be located in places where they can be monitored to protect minors and vulnerable people.
Who Is In Charge of Gambling in Finland?
Finland has a state monopoly when it comes to both online and land-based casinos, held by Veikkaus Oy. This is the betting agency owned and controlled by the state, and it was created in 2017.
Keep in mind
Veikkaus Oy was created through the merger of the previously existing betting and gambling agencies - Veikkaus, Fintoto, and Finland’s Slot Machine Association (Raha-automaattiyhdistys or simply RAY).
Veikkaus was in charge of lotteries and sports betting, RAY was in charge of land-based slot machines, and Fintoto was dealing with betting on horse races.
So the current organization, Veikkaus Oy, is in charge of all of the above-mentioned activities, as well as online casinos. And they even have their own software provider of games.
Fennica Gaming was created in 2022 and offers game services and products to international corporate clients.
The European Union has pressured Finland to let go of the state monopoly and allow other companies to operate, but no changes have been made yet.
Interesting Facts about Veikkaus.fi
The state-controlled agency has:
- Over 3,500 locations for bet slip entries and slot machines
- Over 90 locations of Feel Vegas and Pelaamo arcades (they also include lottery games and betting)
- All of the land-based Finland casinos located in Helsinki and Tampere
- More than 35,000 employees.
You can even play on your mobile thanks to the Veikkaus app, available on Google Play and the App Store.
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How to Join a Finnish Online Casino
The sign-up process for all online casinos usually requires players to provide some personal information and go through a verification process. This is to ensure that the player is of legal age and is not using a false identity.
In order to join Veikkaus or Paf you will have to provide all of the requested personal information, including your:
- ID card
- Address (permanent residence in Finland)
- Social security number
- Mobile number
- Bank account (at a Finnish bank)
After the account is set up, Paf allows you to log in with Smart-ID, Mobil-ID, or ID Kaart.
Popular Finnish Casino Games
Just like most gamblers all around the world, Finnish players like:
- slot games
- blackjack
- video poker
- roulette
- bingo
- keno
Relax Gaming is a popular gambling software developer with offices in multiple countries, including Finland.
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A gambling activity specific to Finns is ice hockey betting. People in the country also love Pesäpallo (the national sport of Finland), Formula One and other motorsports, harness racing, floorball, bandy, skiing, football, and ringette.
Paf Casino
Penningautomatförening (or simply Paf) is responsible for online gambling and land-based casinos on the Åland Islands (an autonomous region of Finland). But luckily, players in mainland Finland can also play at their online casino.
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The company was founded in 1966 and started with gaming machines in 1967. Later on, they introduced gaming on ships and car ferries, and for many years, 95% of their profit came from gambling at sea.
Did you know?
Paf created one of the first-ever online gambling sites in the world, back in 1999.
Paf has generated hundreds of millions of euros in profit, which were then used to benefit the Finnish society.
In the early 2010’s they broke the world record for the highest jackpot amount won at an online slot. One player won €17.8 million, while another got €8.6 million.
You can play slots, table games, poker, and other cool games at Paf by clicking the “Visit” button above.
Payment Methods Used at Finland Online Casinos
Some of the preferred local payment methods are:
- Siru Mobile - a Finnish company that offers quick and simple mobile payments
- Euteller - this is the number one direct banking service in Finland. It allows instant and secure online transactions if you have an account at one of the included banks
- Zimpler - a Swedish company that provides fast and simple payments
Besides this, Finnish gamblers can also use the classic payment methods used in most countries, such as Paypal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard, Neosurf, bank transfers, credit cards, and a few others.
When it comes to the used currency, Finnish players are using the Euro.
How to Choose a Finland Online Casino
If you are playing online and want a fully safe, secure, licensed, and regulated casino, then you can only play at the licensed casinos available on this page.
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Land-based Casinos in Finland
If you are living in Finland and want to experience the thrills of gambling in a live setup, here are some of the best places to choose:
- Casino Helsinki - with 30 years of experience, this is definitely the top gambling destination in the country. It is appreciated by both locals and tourists and includes over 350 slot games, over 20 table games, and 6 poker tables. They even have schools where you can learn about the rules and the odds of the games, similar to our online Chipy Academy.
- Paf Casino - located in Mariehamn, it is the only casino in the Åland Islands. It includes all of the popular games, and stakes start as low as $1. Both Casino Helsinki and Paf are giving their profits to charity.
- Casino Tempere - it is one of the latest in the country, being open since the end of 2021. This means that it’s a very fancy and modern place where you can have an amazing experience. It has a total area of 20,000 square feet with 120 slot machines to choose from. Of course, you will also find table games and poker rooms.
Final Thoughts on Online Casinos in Finland
Now that you know everything about the Finnish gambling laws, you can play both online and offline with confidence. Whether you're looking for a traditional casino experience or the convenience of online gambling, you'll be able to find the perfect option for you.
