Finland’s Parliament has moved a step closer to overhauling its gambling framework after rejecting a wide set of proposed amendments to the country’s new online gambling bill.
Lawmakers voted this week to dismiss all major changes put forward by opposition groups, clearing the path for the legislation to advance with only minimal adjustments.
The final parliamentary vote is expected next week, after which Finland will continue preparations for opening its regulated online gambling market in 2027.
The amendments had been introduced by opposition parties in an effort to tighten restrictions within the emerging multi-licensing system.
READ: Online Fish Shooting Games with Real Money and No Deposit: Exploring the Trend
Among the headline proposals was increasing the minimum gambling age from 18 to 20, a move supporters argued would reduce harm among younger adults.
The opposition also pushed for mandatory two-factor authentication for each login on licensed gambling sites, a centralised deposit limit, wider loss limits across all operators, and an outright ban on bonuses.
Several amendments targeted operator obligations, including a proposal to raise the gambling tax rate to 25.5% of gross gaming revenue.
Marketing controls formed another major component of the suggested revisions.
Opposition MPs advocated for banning gambling advertisements on television and radio, except for lottery monopoly Veikkaus, which currently dominates Finland’s iGaming market.
They also proposed prohibiting gambling promotions at all sports fixtures and public events to reduce visibility among vulnerable groups.
Further measures included requiring tobacco-style health warnings on gambling advertising and banning direct marketing to individuals under 24.
A call was also made for the Ministry of the Interior to publish a clear definition of what level of gambling promotion should be considered “moderate” under Finnish law.
All amendments were voted on as a single package at a parliamentary hearing.
However, lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected the changes by 153 votes to 21, with 25 MPs absent, signalling strong cross-party alignment at this stage of the legislative process.
Antti Koivula, chief compliance officer for Hippos ATG, said in a LinkedIn post that the result was predictable.
He noted that the proposals only had broad support from the Greens and the Left Alliance, while other opposition parties had not fully backed the amendments.
“This outcome surprised absolutely no one,” Koivula said.
He added that the scale of the defeat “was how overwhelmingly the proposal was defeated, even within the opposition itself.”
If the bill ultimately passes, Finland will replace its long-standing monopoly system with a competitive multi-licensing model for online gambling.
The reformed market is expected to open in 2027, though industry observers say the timeline may shift as national elections approach in April 2027.
Much of 2026 will be spent preparing licensing conditions, creating regulatory processes, and approving operators.
Koivula warned that future political changes could still affect the direction of Finland’s gambling policy.
“We shall see what happens in the next governmental term, beginning after April 2027 elections, if the current opposition parties are back in government,” he said.
He also argued that sweeping amendments remain unlikely in the near future.
“Maybe it should be added that it’s unlikely that anything this drastic will be approved in the next governmental term either,” Koivula concluded.
