Finland: EGBA Welcomes Essential Step Towards Meaningful Gambling Reform

On July 3, Finland’s Ministry of the Interior published draft legislation outlining the country’s new gambling framework. The draft law is now open for consultation until August 18, 2024. Currently, Finland is the last EU country with a comprehensive monopoly on online gambling. The proposal aims to introduce competition by licensing various online gambling and betting verticals.

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, said: “The publication of the draft legislation is a welcome and essential step towards meaningful gambling reform in Finland. This signals the end of comprehensive online gambling monopolies in the EU, as Finland is the last member state that still has a monopoly for online gambling. We look forward to reviewing the draft legislation over the coming weeks and engaging in continued dialogue with the Finnish Government and local stakeholders as the regulatory discussions progress.”