Finland Reiterates Zero-Tolerance Stance on Illegal Promotion of Gambling
Finland's National Police Board continues to enforce prohibition orders and conditional fines against illegal gambling marketing.Summary
Finland's National Police Board is continuing its crackdown on the illegal marketing of unlicensed gambling, as the country remains on track to launch commercial gambling. The Gambling Administration is taking action against promotional material on social media and livestreams that targets Finns in breach of local regulations. Prohibition orders can be issued to companies and individuals, with conditional fines depending on the severity of the violation. The goal is to ensure that ads promoting unlicensed gambling are discontinued. Juhani Wallinvirta, head of group at the National Police Board, said conditional fines are intended to reinforce compliance and ensure illegal marketing ceases, not to punish. He added that unlicensed promotions encourage players to use companies not allowed to operate in Finland, which may lack fundamental player protection measures. In 2026 alone, the National Police Board has issued 4 prohibition decisions and imposed 6 conditional fines for illegal gambling marketing, ranging from EUR 30,000 to 200,000 for individuals and EUR 100,000 to 1.2 million for companies. Wallinvirta noted that payment is imposed only when compliance is not met within a specified time limit, with individual fines in 2026 between EUR 20,000 and 100,000.
(Source：Gamblingnews)