Finland's National Police Board recently warned two social media influencers that they could face fines if they do not stop promoting illegal gambling. The police pointed out that there is a common misconception that marketing foreign gambling is allowed in Finland, but this is not the case.
Currently, Finland operates a gambling monopoly system, with only the state-controlled company Veikkaus authorized to offer gambling products. The police emphasized that influencers on platforms such as Twitch and Kick are directly or indirectly promoting unlicensed gambling products in Finland through their affiliate content, which violates Finland's Lottery Act. If they continue to violate the rules, these influencers could face fines of up to 30,000 euros.
The committee stated: "Through actions related to commercial cooperation, these influential people have increased the visibility of gambling, gambling websites, and companies acting as gambling intermediaries."
The police noted that one influencer continued to promote gambling 30 days after receiving a warning and was eventually fined. Senior Advisor Tomi Sallinen emphasized: "People mistakenly believe that marketing foreign gambling is allowed in Finland, but in reality, only Veikkaus is allowed to promote gambling domestically."
According to Finnish regulations, even Veikkaus must adhere to advertising restrictions. It is not allowed to promote high-risk online slot machines, nor can it sign advertising contracts with third parties.
The new Gambling Act in Finland is currently under parliamentary review, which will end the online gambling monopoly system. Veikkaus will be split into two parts, one maintaining a monopoly in the field of physical slot machines and sports betting, and the other competing with commercial online operators. Operators are expected to be able to apply for licenses from the beginning of next year, while suppliers can apply for software provider licenses from the beginning of 2027.
In this context, the new joint venture company Hippos ATG between Sweden's ATG and Finland's Suomen Hippos becomes one of the potential licensed companies. Hippos ATG has accelerated preparations and confirmed that it will use the ATG brand and existing gaming platform on ATG.fi, stating that this is the most cost-effective solution that can fully utilize ATG's design and communication resources.
Hippos ATG CEO Mikael Bäcke stated that ATG is "a strong and trustworthy premium brand from Sweden, already well-known to many Finnish gamblers." He added that the company will use 60% of its profits to support the Finnish horse racing industry and launch ATG Talent, providing expert support in team building, leadership, and sports psychology.
