The Finnish administration has presented a proposition to the legislature concerning the nation’s lottery legislation, which governs the betting industry.
The proposition aims to “diminish the adverse effects of gambling” through alterations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated.
The new legislation will implement payment restrictions for non-Veikkaus operators who promote their services in the Finnish market. Law enforcement will maintain a list of gambling enterprises whose payment transactions should be obstructed by financial institutions and other payment service providers.
According to the new proposition, mandatory identification verification – introduced earlier this year in Veikkaus slot machines – will also be extended to all forms of wagering. This is anticipated to be implemented by 2024.
Marketing regulations will also undergo modifications with the revised lottery legislation. Advertising for gambling games considered particularly detrimental, such as slot machines, will be prohibited.
The legislation also mandates operators to incorporate pertinent information in their marketing communications about the gambling age limit, the option of applying for a gambling prohibition, and services that assist in addressing gambling issues.
Regulatory bodies will be able to levy penalties for any breach of marketing regulations.
Nevertheless, marketing prospects will expand in certain sectors. The revised lottery legislation will permit the promotion of currently forbidden gambling activities, such as “toto” games, which the government asserts will guide players towards the regulated market.
The Finnish National Lottery Company must also determine the placement of gaming machines on its property, situating them in areas where they can be overseen without hindrance. The Finnish National Lottery Company and machine providers will also be obligated to formulate a self-monitoring strategy to ensure that “principles of control and harm mitigation are implemented.”
The Finnish National Lottery Company recently extended mandatory loss limits to physical slot machines and will also establish a subsidiary for business-to-business operations.
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