The Ministry of the Interior in Finland has introduced a €500 daily loss limit for players in the country.
This limit will be applicable for online casino services offered by Veikkaus, which is Finland’s monopoly operator.
Players will also be subjected to a €500 monthly loss limit. As such, they won’t be allowed to bet for the rest of the month if that is lost in one day.
New measures to last for the time being
Finnish authorities chose to bring in these measures to mitigate potential problem gambling that may arise during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prior to these interim regulations, daily loss limits had stood at €1,000. Meanwhile, monthly losses were capped at €2,000.
The laws will apply to “fast-paced online games” and affect online slots, online bingo, instant win games and table games – apart from poker. Expected to be enforced from this Friday (1st May), they will stay in place until at least the end of September.
Veikkaus has also announced that its raffle draws will be put on hold from 4th May until further notice. The operator is looking to focus on its main lottery products for the time being.
Online revenue has risen, but not by much
Finland’s monopoly gambling brand noted that since land-based outlets were shut, online casino revenue has gone up. However, this is only around €1.5 million since the country introduced mandatory social distancing measures.
Neighbouring countries have also imposed limits
Just across the Gulf of Bothnia lies Sweden, which has also introduced temporary online gambling restrictions.
Social Security Minister Ardalan Shekarabi announced last week that players’ weekly deposits will be capped at 5,000 Swedish Krona. This is just over £400.
Online bonuses will also be barred from exceeding 100 SEK, while players will also need to set limits on their casino playing time.
Sweden’s online casino restrictions will remain in place until at least the end of 2020.
