Finnish parliament rejects gambling bill amendments in decisive vote

• Parliament voted down opposition amendments by 153-21 on 11 December, clearing the path for the online gambling bill.
• Rejected proposals included raising the gambling age to 20, banning bonuses, and increasing the tax rate to 25.5%.
• Finland’s licensed online gambling market is now set to open in July 2027 following the final vote.

Finland’s parliament has overwhelmingly rejected a package of amendments to the country’s online gambling legislation, voting down opposition proposals by 153 votes to 21.

The decisive vote clears the way for the gambling bill to proceed to its final parliamentary vote this week without major structural changes. 25 MPs were absent from the session, with each amendment considered as part of a single vote.

Sweeping amendments defeated

Opposition parties, primarily The Greens and Left Alliance, had proposed extensive changes to the bill during last week’s parliamentary hearing. These included raising the minimum gambling age from 18 to 20 and introducing mandatory two-factor authentication for every login on licensed gambling websites.

The amendments also called for centralised deposit and loss limits across all operators and a complete ban on gambling bonuses. Financially, opposition lawmakers sought to increase the gambling tax rate to 25.5% of gross gaming revenue, which would have placed Finland above Brazil’s 18% rate but below France’s 59.3% sports betting tax.

All marketing and advertising proposals were rejected. These included banning TV and radio advertising for licensed gambling products, with an exception for Veikkaus, Finland’s current state-owned monopoly operator.

Opposition parties also proposed a complete ban on gambling advertisements at sports and public events, tobacco-style warning labels in gambling marketing, and prohibiting direct marketing to anyone under 24.

An additional proposal would have required the Ministry of the Interior to publish a definition of “moderate” marketing levels for the regulated market.

Industry response to outcome

Antti Koivula, chief compliance officer for ATG’s Finnish joint venture Hippos ATG, described the result as “decisive”. He had previously predicted the amendments would fail, citing limited political support beyond certain opposition factions.

“This outcome surprised absolutely no one,” Koivula said.

“If anything was surprising, it was how overwhelmingly the proposal was defeated, even within the opposition itself.”

Koivula noted that only some opposition parties backed the amendments. The Greens and Left Alliance supported the proposals, whilst other opposition parties declined to pledge support, contributing to the lopsided vote count.

Background to reform efforts

The gambling reform project was launched in October 2023 by Finland’s Ministry of the Interior, investigating 11 key areas including licensing procedures, taxation, marketing regulations, and measures to prevent gambling-related harm.

The government submitted its proposal to parliament on 20 March 2025 after a six-week public consultation period that ended in August 2024. Feedback was solicited from government bodies, municipalities, gambling harm organisations, industry representatives, and media companies.

As required by EU regulations, Finland notified the European Commission of the draft laws in November 2024. Whilst the Commission raised no objections, Malta issued a detailed opinion in February 2025. Finland defended its proposal as compliant with EU case law and made no amendments based on Malta’s concerns, though it did supplement the proposal’s justification.

The bill has undergone review by the Administrative Committee since September, after the Constitutional Committee concluded that some provisions were too ambiguous for such significant regulatory change.

Path to market opening

Should the legislation pass its final vote, Finland will introduce a multi-licensing system for online gambling. The regulated market is scheduled to open in July 2027, with 2026 allocated to licensing and operator approvals.

The launch date was delayed by six months from the originally planned January 2027 implementation. According to parliamentary debates, the Permit and Supervision Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto) lacks sufficient staff to meet the original timeline, necessitating the postponement.

The delay also aligns with Finland’s national elections, scheduled for April 2027, when gambling policy is expected to feature prominently in political debate. Some lawmakers questioned whether the timing was influenced by concerns about gambling advertising coinciding with election campaigns.

“We shall see what happens in the next governmental term, beginning after the April 2027 elections, if the current opposition parties are back in government,” Koivula added.

“Maybe it should be added that it’s unlikely that anything this drastic will be approved in the next governmental term, either.”

New licensing framework details

The approved framework will establish two distinct licence types. The Gambling Game Licence will be issued to operators offering online betting and casino games such as slots, video poker, and bingo. Applications for this licence will open in early 2026, with licences valid for five years.

A second track will cover suppliers. Any company providing games or platforms to licensed operators will need a B2B game software licence. That requirement will phase in later, with applications opening in 2027 and full compliance mandatory from 1 January 2028.

Licensed operators will pay a 22% tax on gross gaming revenue, considerably lower than the rejected 25.5% proposal. The new supervisory body will be funded by fees levied on the gambling industry, making the system self-sustaining.

Veikkaus restructuring

Under the new framework, Veikkaus will be restructured into two separate legal entities to comply with EU competition laws. One entity will retain a 10-year monopoly on lotteries, scratch cards, physical slot machines, and land-based casinos, including Casino Helsinki.

The second entity will compete in the online market under the same conditions as private operators, including the 22% gross gaming revenue tax rate and five-year licence duration. This restructuring ensures Veikkaus can continue operating in its traditional sectors whilst facing competition in the digital space.

Veikkaus has publicly supported the reform, with CEO Olli Sarekoski warning as early as 2022 that the company’s inability to compete effectively with offshore operators necessitated regulatory change.

The operator has been preparing for increased competition by strengthening its technology capabilities, including a recent partnership with OpenBet to modernise its sportsbook platform.

Market channelisation challenges

The reform aims to address Finland’s declining channelisation rate, with more than 50% of online gambling currently taking place through unregulated offshore operators. The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority estimated in 2021 that approximately €520-590 million was spent on gambling outside the monopoly system annually.

The legislation seeks to improve consumer protection whilst increasing the proportion of gambling that occurs within Finland’s regulated framework. However, concerns remain about whether the rejection of bonus bans will hamper channelisation efforts, as licensed operators will need competitive offerings to attract players from unlicensed sites.

The move brings Finland in line with other Nordic countries like Sweden and Denmark that have already transitioned to multi-licensing systems, ending decades of state monopoly control. Sweden introduced its licensing system in 2019, providing a potential blueprint for Finland’s implementation.

International gambling operators have expressed strong interest in entering the Finnish market once licensing begins, viewing it as an attractive opportunity due to the country’s highly developed digital infrastructure and tech-savvy population. The rejection of stricter marketing and operational restrictions is likely to make the market more appealing to potential licence applicants.