The legislative for online casinos in Finland
License for online casino | The state monopoly on the organization of gambling |
Law | Lotteries Act (1047/2001) as amended |
Penalties | No |
Language | Finnish |
Payment systems | PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, EcoPayz, Paysafecard, Euteller, Trustly, MasterCar |
Regulatory Responsibilities in Finland
Veikkaus is founded by the Finnish government to manage gambling activities and reduce its risks responsibly. Protects participants and prevents gambling fraud. In addition to the Law «On Lotteries», the company is guided by the Government Decree «On the Implementation of Gambling Managed by Veikkaus Oy» (1414/2016), Government Decree «On the Advisory Council on Gambling» (658/2017).
Government agencies controlling Veikkaus Oy:
- Ministry of the Interior of Finland.
- Advisory Board under the Ministry of the Interior.
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, National Institute of Health and Welfare.
The Ministry of Health is working with Veikkaus Oy to the scrutiny of gambling addiction problems.
Veikkaus Oy manages all gambling permitted in Finland:
- online casino (table, slot machines) and poker;
- online lotteries and eBingo;
- tote;
- sports betting.
PAF (the administration of the online casino) located in Åland. The operator acts based on a license issued by the Government of the Åland Islands. PAF's activity based on the Law of the Province «On Lotteries» (1966:10). In 2016, the Provincial Law on Amendments to the Law on Lotteries (2016:11) adopted.
On the website the types of games are presented:
- gaming machines;
- video poker;
- casino games (roulette, baccarat, poker);
- live casino;
- bingo;
- lotteries;
- sports betting.
The government of the Åland Islands decides on the approval and implementation of each of the above games.
Registration requirements for the PAF website:
- be adult;
- have a bank account in the country;
- live on the territory of the Åland Islands;
- not speak on behalf of another person;
- the player must be capable of controlling actions while playing.
The operator can ask the participant to provide documents to confirm identity and age.
Residents of Finland and the Aland Islands are responsible for the legality of their use of online gambling services while they are outside the country.
Player protection measures in Finland
The Finnish government controls the distribution of advertising from foreign operators. The Veikkaus Oy monopoly operator is not allowed to advertise on state television channels. The authorities plan to impose sanctions on displaying advertising from unlicensed operators to revoking licenses for broadcasting television channels broadcasting such videos.
To prevent problems associated with gambling, Veikkaus Oy:
- monitors compliance with age restrictions;
- sets limits on games with a higher risk of liability;
- fully informs the participants about the game (about the rules, winnings, bonuses, contacts of the support service);
- does not give a false impression of the chances of victory.
The company recommends that Finns register as a regular customer at the online casino and play with the Veikkaus card.
Player identification allows to use of game management tools:
- specify restrictions on playing time and bet limits;
- establish self-restriction on participation in online casino for the desired period (max one year);
- follow your gambling history by clicking on the link «OMA VEIKKAUS»;
- block access to online casinos.
State-owned operator Veikkaus Oy is funding the Finnish Ministry of Health for research on gambling and the development of measures to prevent the effects of gambling addiction.
Support Contacts for Players and Affiliates