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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. 

22.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued decrees on fees charged by the police and the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service. The decrees will enter into force on 1 January 2026 and be effective until 31 December 2026.

18.6.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued a new decree on fees charged by the police. The amendments apply to the fees for passports and identity cards as well as for firearms licences and private security sector licences. The decree will be in force from 1 July to 31 December 2025.

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.

19.12.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued decrees on fees charged by the police and the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service. The decrees will enter into force on 1 January 2025.

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.

19.12.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued a new decree on the Finnish Immigration Service’s application processing fees. In addition, the decree on the fees charged for reception services will be amended.

20.12.2024 | The start of 2025 will see the entry into force of new acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes in the Ministry of the Interior’s administrative branch.

19.1.2024 | In 2023, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the missions abroad provided consular services to approximately 244,000 customers. The demand for advisory services remained high. Over the course of the year, the Ministry’s 24/7 service was contacted around 8,000 times in total.

16.6.2022 | The authorities are creating backup arrangements to secure daily payments in the event that serious disruptions of society or emergency conditions would prevent the use of normal payment systems. The Ministerial Working Group on Preparedness decided to implement backup arrangements.

19.1.2023 | In 2022, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the missions abroad provided consular services to a total of approximately 256,000 customers. The demand for advisory services, in particular, continued to grow. During the year, the ministry’s 24/7 service received more than 8,000 contacts in total.

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 ...

16.12.2021 | Police licence and permit fees are due to change in 2022. The price of a passport will fall, while most prices of other licences and permits will rise. The prices of identity cards will remain unchanged. The changes reflect the cost-correlation of licences and permits. The fees charged for licences and permits must correspond by law to the costs incurred in issuing these documents.

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.

18.12.2020 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued a decree on fees charged by the police. For example, the prices of passports and identity cards will rise. The decree will enter into force on 1 January 2021.

20.12.2019 | The start of 2020 will see the entry into force of amendments to acts and decrees related to the police, immigration and rescue services. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes.