FINLAND MARKET REPORT
Concerns regarding the lack of a model against integrity protection Stopping fraudulent betting on sports events has been an increasing focus of different stakeholders in the gambling industry. Finland is an exceptionally interesting market for suspicious betting, as it is one of the few countries in which football is played during the summer season. The Draft Act addresses integrity protection in terms of obliging the applicants to describe in their license application what measures they are taking to prevent match fixing. The licensed operators should further have measures for monitoring irregular or suspicious betting and means for detecting and preventing such behavior for example in relation to match fixing. In addition, licensed operators should annually provide a report on irregular or
Police Board has expressed concern that illegal marketing has increased. Some gambling operators who had previously stopped their illegal marketing have recently resumed their marketing activities, possibly in anticipation of the system reform. 14 Unlawful marketing of gambling services in Finland under the monopoly system will hinder obtaining a license. Under the new regime, the representative of a B2C or B2B license applicant must meet reliability and suitability requirements, which also apply to significant owners and executive management if the applicant is a legal entity. According to the proposed Draft Act, a license cannot be granted to an applicant who has been sanctioned by the regulator for violating the current Lotteries Act in force until two years have passed or after three years have passed under the new Draft Act. 15
14 Finnish National Police Board, ‘A Gambling Company’s Marketing Prohibition Enters into Force After a Court Decision’ (Finnish Police, 6 March 2024) <https://poliisi.fi/en/-/a-gambling-company-s-marketing-prohibition-enters-into-force-after-a-court-decision> accessed 3 Septem- ber 2024 15 The moratorium depends on the timing of the sanction: operator may apply a license after two years have passed, if the prohibition order or penalty payment has been issued under the Lotteries Act after 1 September 2024. If the sanction has been issued under the new Gambling Act after 1 January 2026, the moratorium is three years
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IMGL MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2024
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