Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland, has given the final seal of approval to the overhaul of the country’s gambling legislation, set for 2027.
The President’s green light comes exactly one month after MPs approved the Gambling Bill with 158 in favor, meaning around 95% of legislators participating in the vote were in favor.
Replacing the monopoly held by Veikkaus Oy, the state-owned betting, gaming and lotteries operator, is an idea that has gained broad political support in Finland. Veikkaus also supports the abolition of its own monopoly, citing Finland’s longstanding struggles with channelisation and the difficulty of competing against offshore firms.
The four parties of the governing coalition, the Finns, National Coalition, RKP and KD, pushed for legislation, while The Left Alliance and Greens were also in favor albeit with some reservations.
