Finland is a part of the world that has some great gambling laws and regulations. Those who love to spend time gambling can find that they live in something of a haven. In fact, Finland has a place on the list of the world’s largest gambling countries.
Tourists and locals alike often scramble to grab the latest great casino bonus and all that it has to offer. At the same time, Finland is one of those countries that offer non-tax casinos or verovapaat nettikasinot ilman rekisteröintiä, as they call it.
However, this may not always be as easy as it seems. Let’s take a look at the laws and regulations surrounding Finland’s online casino laws.
Finland and Online Games
Back in 2010, Finland’s gambling policies changed. The new policies prevented any foreign casino from using publications or outlets to advertise their services. These services include games, casinos, and mobile apps. What the new policies actually meant was that Finland’s government now had sole control over all gambling activities and gaming options. As a result, the Finnish people would no longer see gambling advertisements created by those who lived abroad.
So how do the new policies/laws affect online casino games? The truth is, not as much as you’d think. While it is illegal for foreign sites to exist in Finland, it’s still possible to access them. Finnish citizens won’t be reprimanded for visiting foreign sites, they may simply be asked not to.
As far as foreign sites are concerned, they cannot obtain a Finnish license. As sites such as these are unable to gain a Finnish license, they cannot be blocked. At least, this seems to be the interpretation.
State-Owned Gaming
Finland is home to some state-owned gaming. This is something that originally had a lot of locals excited when it first came into fruition. 3 of the country’s biggest operators merged to form Veikkaus Oy, a hugely reputable company. Veikkaus Oy was created back in 2017 and is now owned by the Finnish government. This popular gambling company now offers players 4 different types of games to enjoy:
- Lucky games
- Instant games
- Skill games
- Slot machines
When players participate in the games they are helping to invest in the country itself. The revenue created helps to fund a wide range of causes such as health and social welfare, cultural events, young people, and sports. As a result, the 700,000+ weekly players help to contribute to each of the above causes.
Finnish Law and Online Games
While Finnish law is not very strict, there are some limitations as to what players can play. The above games are the only types of games that players can indulge in. This may seem a little strict. However, any frequent gambler will tell you that you can get hundreds if not thousands of games in each category. While Finnish gambling laws may seem a little confusing, they do allow players to take home all of their winnings. Finland does not ask players to pay tax on any winnings they gained playing online. It’s this and the somewhat loose laws that have helped to make Finland something of a gambling pioneer.
