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15.1.2026 | Veikkaus Oy’s monopoly on running gambling games will end. Under the new Gambling Act, the running of betting games, online slot and casino games, and online money bingo will be opened to competition under a licensing system. In its session on 15 January, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the Gambling Act on 16 January. Most provisions of the new act will enter into force on 1 July 2027. 

26.1.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has supplemented the decree on fees charged for services provided by the police in 2026 with licence fees related to gambling services under the new Gambling Act. The new fees will be charged for an exclusive licence, a gambling licence and an authorisation for international cooperation for the holder of an exclusive licence or a gambling licence. The fees will also be charged for the alteration of an exclusive licence or a gambling licence.

22.4.2026 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government has agreed on the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2027–2030. Both the global economy and Finland’s finances are facing challenges. In its spending limits session, the Government focused on new targeted measures to strengthen people’s confidence in the future and improve the conditions for growth and employment.

20.3.2025 | Today, the Government submitted to Parliament a legislative proposal on a new gambling system. The Government proposes to end Veikkaus' gambling games monopoly in betting and in online slot machine and casino games at the end of 2026, and to open the provision of these games to competition.

3.7.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior is requesting comments on the draft government proposal for a new gambling act. The reform of the gambling system is based on the Government Programme. Under the proposal, Veikkaus Oy would no longer hold the monopoly to arrange betting and online slot machine games and casino games. These games would be opened up to competition by means of licensing as laid out in the Government Programme.

24.10.2023 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project on the reform of the gambling system. The project will prepare for the introduction of a licence system for gambling in accordance with the Government Programme.

7.9.2023 | On Thursday 7 September, the Government issued a Decree Amending the Decree on the Running of Veikkaus Oy's Gambling Games. The current decree has been updated to correspond to the amendments made to the Lotteries Act. The amendment will enable Veikkaus to create a new way to run lotteries online.

5.6.2023 | Finland’s gambling monopoly has been criticised and challenged in recent years. One proposed solution is to switch from Veikkaus Oy’s monopoly system to a licence system. Of our reference countries, Norway has not switched to a licence model but it has successfully developed its own monopoly system.

22.12.2021 | The Lotteries Act that regulates gambling will be amended. The focus of the reform is on preventing harm caused by gambling, combating marketing that violates the Lotteries Act, and directing the demand for gambling towards activities that are covered by the Lotteries Act. The President of the Republic approved the bill on 22 December 2021. The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2022.

28.4.2020 | The loss limits of Veikkaus Oy's fast-paced gambling games are to be lowered. The maximum loss limit will be lowered to EUR 500 (now 2,000) per month and EUR 500 (now 1,000) per day. Amendments to the Act will enter into force on 1 May and will remain in force until 30 September 2020. The aim of the amendments is to prevent and reduce more effectively economic, social and health harm caused by gambling during the coronavirus epidemic.

20.12.2023 | The start of 2024 will see the entry into force of amendments to acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes.

21.11.2019 | The Government has appointed a new Advisory Board on Gaming for the parliamentary term 2019–2023. According to the Lotteries Act, the task of the Advisory Board is to monitor the achievement of gambling policy goals and development needs in order to maintain and strengthen the exclusive right system.

31.1.2020 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project focused on a reform to the Lotteries Act. In line with the Government Programme, the goal is to determine any needs to reform the Lotteries Act, especially with an eye on further enhancing the prevention and reduction of the harmful effects of gambling. Moreover, legislative means to support the operating conditions of Veikkaus Oy and strengthen the exclusive right system will also be examined

Hankkeen tavoitteena on selvittää rahapelijärjestelmän uudistamista hallitusohjelman mukaisesti ja valmistella ehdotus lisenssijärjestelmään siirtymistä koskevaksi säädösperustaksi.

10.11.2022 | The Government proposes amendments to the Lotteries Act to make it compatible with a new model for financing activities with proceeds from gambling. From the beginning of 2024, Veikkaus Oy’s proceeds could be entered in the Budget without earmarking their purpose of use under the Lotteries Act.

13.1.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has defined strategic priorities that will steer the monitoring and research of the harms caused by gambling, the development of prevention and treatment for such harms, and the related risk assessment in the period 2020–2023. These priorities are based on the powers and obligations entrusted to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health under section 52 of the Lotteries Act.

7.1.2021 | On 7 January 2021, the Ministry of the Interior sent out for comments a proposal for reforming the Lotteries Act, which regulates gambling in Finland. The key points of the proposal include preventing the harm caused by gambling in an effective manner, combating marketing that violates the Lotteries Act, and securing Veikkaus Oy’s capacity to channel the demand for gambling. The basic premise of ...

18.12.2020 | Amendments to legislation and decrees applying to the police, immigration and border control will enter into force at the beginning of 2021, of which the most important ones are explained in this release.

2.6.2023 | The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued recommendations to Finland on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the child. The recommendations concern, for example, child welfare, the prevention of violence against children, the rights of children with disabilities, issues related to children's mental health and social security.

7.6.2023 | Our digital world will become paralysed if access to semiconductors becomes more difficult. The theme of the June issue is semiconductors and geopolitics.