Top Finnish political parties indicate support to end monopoly model
Following initial discussions earlier this month, politicians have come out in support of ending Veikkaus’ monopoly reign
Several major political parties in Finland have voiced their support for disassembling the country’s current gambling monopoly framework.
Speaking to the Finnish national newspaper YLE, the country’s major parties indicated their support for the transition to a multi-licensed commercial gambling market, and bringing an end to Veikkaus’ position as a monopoly operator in the market.
Centre Party parliamentary group chair Eeva Kalli said: “It’s unsustainable for gaming profits to increasingly end up outside of Finland while they cause harm here.”
The current system does not allow foreign gambling websites to register players from Finland or advertise in Finland, but no legislation in place stops Finnish players from stopping registering on these sites.
Kai Mykkänen, head of the National Coalition Party parliamentary group, commented: “Monopolies generally aren’t a good way of mitigating health dangers or other problems. They’re historical remnants.”
YLE also noted that the Social Democrats and Finns Party had indicated their support.
Finland is currently the only EU member state to still have a monopoly system in place after Sweden ditched this framework in 2019.
The comments from the politicians come after the Finnish government established a new research group to examine the route to a multi-licensed commercial gambling market.
Finnish economist and former CEO of Ilmarinen Harri Sailas will chair this new group, which will deliver its findings by 15 April 2023 ahead of elections in the country.
Mikko Alkio, a partner at the law firm Roschier, and the former Minister of Justice Tuija Brax, will support Sailas.
The team is completed by Riitta Matilainen who heads up the gambling harm prevention unit at the Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention.
The group will also explore how the drastic change to Finland’s online gambling framework could impact the country’s income and expenses.
The move away from the monopoly system is also supported by Veikkaus themselves, as the operator gave vocal support for the change in September 2022.
Veikkaus recorded a significant drop in its market share, nearing around 50%, which CEO Olli Sarekoski labelled as a “critical limit”.
Speaking to EGR in September, Sarekoski said: “Unless this drastic downward trend can be stopped, we should start considering whether all gambling should be made subject to the same regulation in Finland.
“That could serve the prevention of the harmful effects of gambling as a whole, secure the company’s future, and thereby work to the benefit of the Finnish people,” he added.