Online gambling has been on the rise in various countries around the world – but what about Finland? In this review, we have provided you with a list of the best gambling sites that are accessible to Finnish players.
Currently in Finland, every form of gambling is under a monopoly controlled by the state. This applies to both offline and online gambling. As a result, gambling within Finland is regulated by various institutions. These include RAY, Veikkaus Oy and Fintoto Oy. All officially registered casino sites within Finland are administered by these entities. Their functions are discussed below:
- RAY – This entity is the provider for land-based casino gambling within Finland. It has the monopoly for brick-and-mortar casino games such as roulette, blackjack, slots, and other table games.
- Fintoto Oy – This entity deals with the parimutuel horse racing within the country.
- Veikkaus Oy – This entity administers instant winning games, sports betting and lottery games in Finland.
Aside from the above, another organisation is PAF – this handles gambling in the Åland province, an autonomous region in the country.
With these entities, the government of Finland has effectively catered for all forms of gambling within the country.
Furthermore, the Finnish government ensures to reinvest the profits gained from betting into social development in public activities such as education, science, arts and other sporting events.
Licensed sites in Finland
Now let’s focus on the online gambling sites that are licensed within the country. As already stated, the state controls all aspects of gambling. While online gaming within the Åland Province is run by PAF, in the rest of the Finnish mainland, it is operated by RAY. Both of these operate the only legal gambling sites in the country.
The monopoly exercised by the Finnish government has caused some controversy between the EU and Finland. The EU views the monopoly exercised by the Finnish government as limiting to operators from other countries. As a result, the EU has expressed its disapproval to the Finnish government. The debate is still ongoing, and the subsequent steps that will be taken are yet to be confirmed.
Unlicensed sites in Finland
Although there is existing prohibition on gambling sites within Finland, this has not prevented offshore online gambling sites from accepting players from Finland. No laws have censored offshore sites or blocked transactions involving such sites. Moreover, there are no laws criminalising betting activities with unregistered sportsbooks. Hence, Finnish players have the freedom to enjoy and play on a variety of online casino sites and sportsbooks that are operated from other countries.
There is a variety of top offshore sites that are internationally renowned and accept players worldwide. These sites are open to players from various countries. Some notable sites include 888casino and bet365, which are very receptive of Finnish players.
With the current Finnish regulations, it is still unclear as to whether the country will relax the laws surrounding offshore operators. However, seeing as online gambling is something that can be easily accessed through internet-enabled devices such as PCs and mobile phones, online gamblers in Finland already have the freedom to play at a wide range of sites.
With this knowledge in-hand, Finnish gamers are recommended to familiarise themselves with the reputable online casino sites available to them and enjoy the wide range of games and bonus packages on offer.