The Finnish government's proposal HE 16/2025 VP aims to ban affiliate marketing in its newly regulated online gambling market due to issues of misinformation, regulatory uncertainty, consumer protection, and tax evasion. Recently, the Quality Mark Responsible Alliance (QMRA) has showcased the impacts of this proposal.
However, QMRA's research indicates that banning affiliate marketing in the Finnish online gambling industry could lead to an increase in illegal gambling activities. Evidence from the Netherlands suggests that restricting SEO affiliate marketing results in unlicensed operators dominating search results.
Since the regulation of online gambling in 2021, the Netherlands has been dealing with unlicensed platforms that use SEO and Google ads to attract specific groups of players, including minors and self-excluded individuals. This could lead to more illegal sites emerging, which often lack consumer protection as they do not implement responsible gambling measures.
Many unregulated operators accept anonymous payments, which is also associated with fraud and money laundering. QMRA suggests that Finland consider establishing a structured affiliate marketing framework instead of a complete ban, to support player protection and market integrity.
Worth noting: The complete QMRA report details how SEO affiliates contribute to a safer gambling environment
QMRA Director Steven Vrolijk stated, "The Dutch market has taught us a lot about how illegal operators adapt. We also see that proactive, responsible affiliates play a crucial role in combating illegal operators.
"SEO affiliate is a form of advertising that only appears when consumers actively search for gambling options. If Finland bans legal affiliates, its search results could soon be dominated by illegal outcomes."
