The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has expressed concerns about the government's new gambling system plan.
The Ministry of the Interior had previously sought responses from various government agencies and departments regarding the proposal for Finland's gambling system by 2027.
This is part of the 2026 roadmap, aimed at ending the monopoly of the state-owned enterprise Veikkaus Oy on physical and online gambling. The government plans to open the online gambling market in 2027 to allow market competition, a process supported by Veikkaus.
This is a modernization process driven by reformists, who believe that Finnish authorities cannot control the extent to which consumers participate in unlicensed online gambling sites.
However, THL, a leading research institute under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, is skeptical of this proposed policy.
The agency urges the government to consider the impact of introducing a gambling competition licensing framework, as it may not necessarily ensure better protection for Finnish consumers.
THL acknowledges that there are currently problems in the Finnish gambling market, with Veikkaus controlling 50% of the online market, the rest being held by companies that cannot officially operate in Finland.
But THL believes that removing Veikkaus from online gambling could lead to an increase in gambling problem rates. Recent studies show that 4.2% of Finns (over 150,000 people) are struggling with or at risk of gambling problems.
This number has significantly increased compared to previous years when about 3% of the population faced serious gambling issues. Men are particularly affected, with 6.6% reporting serious gambling problems, compared to only 1.8% of women.
If the new system is implemented in 2027, the government needs to ensure that policies and protective measures are in place to limit the most addictive and fastest-paced forms of online gambling.
