The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has issued a warning over how the switch to an open market in the country will “shift” the emphasis from harm prevention towards gambling revenue.
Finland’s liberalized market market is due to launch in July 2027 after legislation passed late last year. This will allow operators outside of the country’s traditional monopoly – currently held by Veikkaus – to apply for licenses and offer online gambling in Finland.
However, the THL has raised concerns over the impact of a larger market on consumers. It said gambling advertising and customer acquisition will increase significantly under the new licensing system. As such, this could place players at higher risk of gambling harm.
