The Gambling Risk and Harm Assessment Group (GRHAG) under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health initiated a consultation on a series of new player protection regulations on January 30, with the deadline for comments from relevant parties set for February 24. However, gambling operators such as SkillOnNet and Wildz Group have voiced opposition, concerned that overly strict rules would push players towards the black market, contradicting the original intent of Finland's new gambling laws. Compliance and player protection cases related to the Finnish gambling industry can be referenced on the PASA official website.
Proposed Core Rules: Coverage Limits, Interventions, and Risk Groups
The new player protection regulations introduced by GRHAG cover multiple dimensions, specifically addressing gambling risks:
Cross-operator unified loss limits: Players' cumulative losses across all licensed operators will be capped, rather than having independent limits per operator;
Mandatory player control tools: Operators must provide tools such as deposit limits, loss limits, and gaming duration restrictions, including cooling-off periods and game restrictions, with account bans executable under specific circumstances;
Tiered intervention mechanisms: Operators must continuously monitor player behavior, identify risk indicators and response measures, and record communications and outcomes with players;
High-risk group designation: Youth aged 18-24 are labeled as a "high-risk group," subject to lower intervention thresholds and stricter protection measures;
AI usage warning: Indicates that AI and machine learning prediction models for harm are "not yet mature" and should not be the primary basis for player protection.
Operator Opposition: Concerns Over Black Market Expansion and Channelization Rates Decline
The core focus of opposition from SkillOnNet and Wildz Group is on the impact of the rules on the compliant market, with specific and data-supported reasons:
SkillOnNet: Compliant Market Attractiveness Will Decline
Black market risk: If cross-operator loss limits are too low, mandatory account bans could create a negative experience, significantly increasing the likelihood of players encountering illegal sites when seeking new platforms;
Rule contradiction: The new Finnish Gambling Act is already largely perfected, and significantly tightening deposit and gaming limits at this time would detach from the overall legal framework, further driving players to external venues;
Core suggestion: Licensed platforms should be "more attractive, more reasonable, and more convenient" than illegal platforms. Resources should be directed towards supervising operators to fulfill their duties, ensuring the effectiveness of player-set limits, and improving the national gambling prohibition registry.
Wildz Group: Channelization Rate May Significantly Decrease
Data reference: Citing German studies, in overly restrictive markets, only 20%-30% of gambling activities flow to compliant operators;
Finnish concerns: If the new regulations' impact on channelization rates is not assessed before implementation, Finland is likely to face a similar situation, contradicting the intent of an open market and guiding players towards compliance.
Market Background and Subsequent Promotion Schedule
The controversy over the new regulations occurs at a critical juncture as the Finnish gambling market is about to open. The arrangements are clear:
Market status: Currently, Finland's gambling market is monopolized by Veikkaus, holding only 50% market share, with the rest occupied by offshore illegal platforms, which is a significant reason for opening the licensed online gambling market in Finland;
License application: Operators can apply for licenses starting March 2026, with some player protection details yet to be finalized;
Market launch: The new Finnish gambling market is expected to officially operate in July 2027, with the new player protection regulations to be incorporated into the overall gambling legislation, applicable to all licensed operators.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
