Finland's New Gambling Act 2027 – What the Change Really Means

Background to the law change

Finland's gambling system has been based on an exclusive-rights model for decades. Veikkaus, RAY and Fintoto merged in 2017 into a single monopoly, and the model has rested on the idea that exclusive rights prevent gambling problems and money laundering better than a competitive market. In practice, however, the popularity of foreign online casinos has grown steadily: an estimated third of Finns' casino play already takes place outside the monopoly.

The government began preparing a complete overhaul of the gambling system in 2024. The aim is to move to a licence-based model resembling those of, for example, Sweden (2019), Denmark (2012) and the Netherlands (2021). The basic idea is simple: if players are going to play at foreign casinos anyway, it's better to bring the market under supervision than to keep it in a grey area.

Timeline – what has happened, what is coming

The timetable is ambitious. In Sweden the equivalent process took around 4 years, and it was only in the second year after licensing that the market settled. The situation in Finland may be similar – the first 12 months after licensing are likely to be unstable.

Impact on the player

The key message: playing does not become illegal at any foreign licensed casino. The free movement of services within the EU guarantees that a casino operating on a Maltese MGA licence remains a legal destination for a Finnish player. The law change therefore concerns above all operators' advertising in Finland, not the player's right to play.

Taxation

Tax exemption remains for the player at casinos licensed within the EU/EEA. This is the single most important reason a Finnish player chooses an MGA-licensed casino: winnings are tax-free with no separate declaration to the tax authority. Playing at casinos in licensing jurisdictions outside this area remains largely subject to capital income tax – Curaçao is a borderline case where the situation is open to interpretation and calls for care.

Identification and responsibility tools

A casino holding a Finnish licence must identify the player before play begins – not only at the point of withdrawal, as is the case at many MGA casinos today. In practice this means bank identification or a mobile certificate at every registration. Also mandatory will be:

• Self-exclusion (a shared register across all licensed operators)
• Setting a deposit limit
• Limits on the length of a playing session
• Setting loss limits

Sweden's Spelpaus.se system is the likely template for the Finnish model – a single register, where signing up excludes the player from all licensed casinos at once.

Bonuses

This is the change a Finnish player will notice most. In the Swedish model a licensed operator may offer only one bonus per player – a welcome bonus, no ongoing loyalty promotions. This is a significant cut from the current situation: the monthly bonuses worth hundreds of euros that an active player receives will no longer be possible at Finnish-licensed casinos.

Players who specifically seek out bonuses will probably continue playing at EU MGA-licensed casinos, where the bonus restrictions are not as tight. There's an irony here: the law change may push the most active player base away from the very licensed system it set out to build.

Payment methods and withdrawal times

At a Finnish-licensed operator, a Finnish bank payment, MobilePay and Trustly will likely be the default methods. Withdrawals will have to happen quickly – in Sweden a condition of the licence is, in practice, a withdrawal within 24 hours. This improves the player experience.

Impact on operators

Obtaining a licence is neither cheap nor easy. The recognised costs in the Swedish system have included:

• A licence fee (one-off) – hundreds of thousands of euros
• An annual supervision fee
• An 18% gaming tax (the Swedish model) – Finland's exact percentage still open
• KYC and AML systems
• Finnish-language customer support
• Joining the shared player register

Small operators will not apply for a Finnish licence, because the costs don't add up. Forecasts based on the Swedish model: around 50–80 operators will apply for a Finnish licence, of which around 30–50 will obtain one in the first phase. Large international operators (the Kindred group, Entain, Flutter, Evoke) are likely on the list. Read more: which casinos will obtain a Finnish licence in 2027 and how to recognise a licensed casino.

Veikkaus's situation

Veikkaus remains on the market as one licensed operator – it does not disappear. Its role will, however, change significantly: in a competitive market its share of the player market will likely fall to 50–60% (in Sweden, Svenska Spel's share is around 45%). Veikkaus will have to learn to compete on marketing, productisation and customer experience – things that have been secondary to it in a monopoly. Slot machines in shops and kiosks, and lotteries, remain an exclusive right for the time being.

Impact on marketing and the affiliate industry

The new law tightly restricts gambling marketing. A licensed operator may market only itself, through its own channels – affiliate and influencer marketing is explicitly prohibited under the law. The permitted channels are listed exhaustively:

• The operator's own website and social media accounts (non-interactive content)
• TV, radio and print media
• Sports and public events, and gaming arcades
• Search-engine advertising only on the operator's own brand and game names – not on generic gambling keywords

In practice this means that from 1 July 2027, third-party affiliate sites and influencers cannot market licensed operators to a Finnish audience. At the same time, targeted advertising to Finland by casinos operating without a Finnish licence is prohibited. The Finnish model is, in this respect, the strictest in the Nordics – stricter than Sweden's equivalent licensing model.

For the player, the change shows above all in less casino advertising and in the fact that comparison shifts ever more towards features: the quality of the licence, customer support, game selection and withdrawal speed. See also our pillar page on licensed online casinos.

What does the Swedish model teach us?

Sweden moved to a licensing model in January 2019. The first year's results were mixed:

• The licence coverage (how much of all play takes place at licensed operators) stayed at around 85% – the target was 90%.
• The most active players partly moved back to foreign casinos because of the tight bonus restrictions.
• Problem gambling did not decrease as expected – in fact, on some measures it grew in the first 12 months.
• Tax revenues grew significantly – exactly what the reform set out to achieve.

The Finnish model would do well to learn from these mistakes: bonus limits that are too tight push active players towards the grey market, and that doesn't serve the law's aims. The final tightness of the limits is one thing being watched closely.

How to prepare now

For the player, the change requires no immediate action – the current MGA-licensed casinos will operate after 2027. But if you want to be ready:

1. Know your licence. Check which licence your current casino operates under. MGA, the UKGC and the like are tax-free. Curaçao is a borderline case.
2. Keep your gaming accounts in order. Licensing may bring transfers of player data, and unclear accounts can cause problems.
3. Set deposit limits yourself. Even though mandatory limits arrive in 2027, use self-set limits already now.
4. Follow the legislative preparation. This article is updated as timetables become clearer – we'll keep you up to date.
5. Don't move your play to new operators straight away. Let the first few months show which licensed casinos are trustworthy. Established MGA casinos are the safer bet.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Finland's gambling law reform of 2027 is the single biggest change to the gambling market in 70 years. For the player, the direct impact is smaller than the headlines might suggest: winnings stay tax-free at EU-licensed casinos, MGA-licensed casinos keep operating, and playing itself does not become illegal at any licensed operator.

The biggest change is structural: the casino affiliate market splits in two, bonus offers level off at Finnish-licensed operators, and KYC requirements tighten. An active player, used to today's bonus offers, may stick with MGA casinos. The casual player will probably move to Finnish-licensed casinos for the better Finnish-language services and local payment methods.

This article will be updated as the law progresses. The next update will be made when the government's bill goes to Parliament with a more precise timetable.