Finland’s national gambling policy and its national gambling regulations are based on an exclusive rights system. The view in Finland has been that an exclusive rights system established with legislation and subject to government supervision is the best method for reducing the negative impacts associated with gambling and for ensuring a high level of consumer protection. The aim of the proposal is to prevent and reduce the economic, social and health-related harm resulting from gambling by adding new provisions to the Lotteries Act supporting this objective and to improve the knowledge base for monitoring harm resulting from gambling and risk assessment. The proposal also aims to assist in the fight against gambling activities in violation of the Lotteries Act and to strengthen Veikkaus Oy’s monitoring of gambling activities and the legal protection of players. In addition, the proposal aims is to strengthen the ability of the exclusive rights system to channel gambling activities to gambling services subject to the Lotteries Act. This ensures gambling related harm can be more efficiently reduced and prevented. At the same time, the exclusive rights system would be made more coherent with EU level legislation.

The proposal proposes amendments to the Lotteries Act. The aim of the proposal is to prevent and reduce the economic, social and health-related harm resulting from gambling by adding new provisions to the Lotteries Act in support of this objective. In addition, the proposal aims is to strengthen the ability of the exclusive rights system to channel gambling activities to gambling services subject to the Lotteries Act. This ensures gambling related harm can be more efficiently reduced and prevented. The proposal implements a reform of the Lotteries Act in accordance with the Government Programme to ensure the achievement of the objectives set out in Finland’s gambling policy.