TITLE: Finland's Ministry of The Interior Establishes Gaming Rules for Exclusive Gaming Licence Holders
BODY:
On June 10, 2026, Finland's Ministry of The Interior prepared a draft ministerial decree establishing gaming rules for exclusive gaming licence holders under the new Gambling Act (10/2026). The decree implements requirements set out in Section 31 of the Gambling Act, which mandates that exclusive licence holders operate games in a manner that ensures player protection, prevents misconduct and crime, and minimises gambling harms.
The proposed decree will establish rules governing game play, prize distribution, and stake returns for games operated under exclusive licences. These include regulations on maximum permitted stakes and winnings for gaming machines and casino games; lottery draw procedures; time-limit reminders requiring players to confirm continued play every 15 minutes; and a maximum balance limit of €20,000 on player accounts. The decree covers five categories of games: betting games (veikkauspelit), instant lottery games (rahapika-arpajaisia), online lottery games (nettiarpoja), gaming machines (rahapeliautomaatteja), and casino games (kasinopeleista). Notably, the new rules will not include provisions for betting games, electronically operated casino and gaming machine games, or totalisator games, which will instead be regulated under separate gaming operator licences under the Gambling Act.
The draft decree largely mirrors existing rules established under the current Lottery Act (1047/2001) for Veikkaus Oy, with modifications to reflect the new regulatory framework. The Ministry of The Interior conducted a public consultation period from June 10, 2026 to August 5, 2026. The decree is scheduled to enter into force on July 1, 2027, coinciding with the implementation of the new Gambling Act. The final decree will be published in the Ministry of The Interior's regulatory collection rather than the official Finnish statute book.