Online Casino Law in Finland: The 2027 Change

Online casino in Finland sits between two systems. Until 30 June 2027, Veikkaus holds the monopoly and is the only company allowed to offer and market gambling in mainland Finland. From 1 July 2027, the new Gambling Act opens online casino to licensed private operators under a new supervisor. Meanwhile, many Finnish players already use casinos licensed in Malta, Estonia, the Isle of Man or Curaçao. Here’s what the law says today, what changes next summer, and what each step means for you as a player, in plain language.

Today: the Veikkaus monopoly

Finland has long run gambling as a state monopoly, and until 30 June 2027 that monopoly belongs to Veikkaus Oy. Only Veikkaus may offer and market gambling in mainland Finland. The licensing authority and supervisor during this period is the National Police Board (Poliisihallitus).

That has a direct consequence for every casino on our Finland pages. None of them holds a licence under Finnish law. Each states a licence from somewhere else: the Malta Gaming Authority, the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (EMTA), the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, Curaçao, Tobique or Anjouan. We show that licence on every card, because it decides where a complaint goes and, as our winnings tax guide explains, whether your winnings are taxable.

What it means for you as a player

The monopoly rules are aimed at the companies that offer and promote gambling, not at the people who play. We found no source that penalises a player for using a foreign site; enforcement is directed at operators and promoters. We could not read a primary legal text on player liability, so we flag this as unconfirmed.

In practice, three things affect you more than the monopoly itself:

1. Payment blocking can stop deposits to named operators.
2. Tax depends on the casino’s licence.
3. Complaints go to the regulator that licensed the casino, not to a Finnish authority.

Payment blocking since 2023

Payment blocks for gambling services entered into force at the beginning of 2023. Banks and payment providers must block payments from Finnish consumers to operators whose marketing the National Police Board has banned. The law as adopted covers deposits only, not payouts.

The blocks are operator-specific, based on a published list, not a blanket ban on foreign casinos. Operators can come off the list again: Betsson’s BML Group was added in 2024 and removed in October 2026 after 12 months.

For a player, that means a deposit can fail if the operator behind a casino is on the list. We found no source that ties the blocking to Pay N Play providers such as Trustly or Zimpler in general. From the 2027 regime, network operators are also expected to block the websites of operators without a licence (IP or DNS blocking); the start date of that site blocking is not confirmed in our sources.

Marketing rules today

Only Veikkaus may market gambling in mainland Finland today. The National Police Board issues prohibition decisions backed by conditional fines: €30,000 to €200,000 for individuals and €100,000 to €1.2 million for companies. In 2026, up to 14 October, it made four prohibition decisions against illegal promotion on websites and social media and ordered six conditional fines payable, all against individuals, of €20,000 to €100,000. Social media and gaming livestreams are named as the main channels being policed.

The legal definition of marketing is broad: any promotional activity intended to increase demand for gambling. That is why our Finland section stays factual. We set out terms, licences and maths; we don’t push you to sign up, and we don’t frame offers as targeted at you.

The new Gambling Act (10/2026)

The reform comes in steps. Here are the dates as reported:

A first list of licence holders has been published by the National Police Board, reported as 18 companies. We saw that count only in a search summary, so treat it as unconfirmed. Licensees may not offer or market gambling in Finland before 1 July 2027.

After the reform, Veikkaus keeps an exclusive licence of up to 10 years for lotteries, scratch cards and physical slots and casino games. Online casino, slots, bingo and betting move to a competitive gambling licence (rahapelitoimilupa) of up to five years. Licensed operators will pay a lottery tax of 22% of their gambling revenue from July 2027. The legal gambling age stays at 18.

Marketing rules from July 2027

The new Act brings stricter marketing rules for the licensed market:

• Influencer marketing and telephone direct marketing are banned.
• Free or discounted games are banned, except modest bonus gaming money.
• Gambling marketing may not be linked to credit marketing.
• Outdoor advertising for high-risk games, which include online casino and betting, is restricted.
• Penalty payments for companies can reach 4% of the previous year’s turnover, up to €5 million, with a minimum of €10,000.

The 2024 draft would have allowed licensees to market only on their own, without third parties, and allowed no bonuses at all. A law firm’s January 2026 summary says the final Act allows modest bonus money and does not mention affiliates. We have not read the final wording on affiliate marketing, so whether it will be allowed is open.

For players, the likely result is smaller, plainer offers at licensed sites than the prize games and cashback that offshore brands use today.

What changes for players in 2027

Four changes matter most:

• A licensed market. You will be able to play online casino at private operators holding a licence under the new Act, supervised by the Finnish Supervisory Agency.
• A central self-exclusion register. From 2027 one register covers all licensed operators. Exclusions run indefinitely for at least one year, and lifting one needs three months’ notice.
• Website blocking of operators without a licence, as described above, with the start date unconfirmed.
• Tax. Winnings from licensed operators stay tax-free. For operators without a licence under the Act, the EEA exemption is expected to narrow where the game is “made playable” in Finland. Our tax guide explains the factors.

How to read a casino’s licence today

Until the licensed market opens, the licence a casino states is the main fact you have about it. Look in the site footer for the operating company and the licence number, and check that they match. Then ask three questions:

• Is it an EEA licence? Malta and Estonia are; the Isle of Man, Curaçao, Tobique and Anjouan are not. That decides tax under current rules.
• Where would a complaint go? Malta-licensed casinos answer to the MGA Player Support Unit or an independent dispute body. Isle of Man casinos fall under the Gambling Supervision Commission’s complaint form. Curaçao licensees must offer free independent dispute resolution. We found no official complaint service for Anjouan.
• Who else does the operator run? Many Finnish-facing brands are sister sites sharing one company and one licence, so an older sibling’s record tells you something about a new name.

What is still unclear

We list these openly, because they affect how you read any Finland page, ours included:

• The exact scope and start date of the website blocking after 1 July 2027.
• Whether the final Act bans affiliate marketing for licensees.
• The number of licence holders, reported as 18 but seen only in a search summary.
• Player liability for playing at unlicensed sites: we found no source that penalises players, but read no primary text.
• Whether an English-language page aimed at Finnish residents counts as marketing in Finland under current law.

Where to get help

If gambling stops being fun, Peluuri runs a free helpline on 0800 100 101, on weekdays from 12:00 to 18:00. You can stay anonymous if you wish, and English is available where possible. Peluuri also offers a chat, the online Peli poikki programme and financial and debt advice. The public-service guide on treating problem gambling lists further options. Our responsible gambling page has more tools.

Using our Finland section

Every casino and offer in our Finland section shows the licence it holds. The Finland casinos hub lines up licences and payout speeds; the new casinos page shows which brands share an operator. For offers, start with the wager-free bonuses and the welcome bonuses, and check any match with the wagering calculator. How we rate explains our scoring. Everything here is for players aged 18 or over.

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