EGBA: How Finland Has Norway Moving in the Right Direction

If we talk about mushing, the most challenging aspect is navigating the environment and maneuvering between obstacles as a finely tuned team with the dog pack to pull the sledge in the right direction. Currently, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is asking the European gambling market to do the same. This is aimed at addressing the “collective priority” of the black market and illegal operators.

The Secretary General Maarten Haijer of the EGBA has said, “It is his belief that it is inevitable that Norway and Iceland follow the lead of Finland and move away from the gambling monopoly and instead into the multi-licensing space.” Haijer and the EGBA are satisfied that Finland has created a multi-licensing system for its online gambling industry, but there is still work to do in the country and across Europe.

Finland’s Regulation Direction

The National Police Board will be in charge of licensing tasks up until June this year, then regulatory decisions will be handed over to the Licensing and Supervision Agency. The process for B2B licenses will start in July 2027. Players will be required to be over 18 years of age with identification to verify their age. License holders will need to monitor player behaviour, offering tools to help prevent gambling addiction. There must be no marketing to minors or featuring anyone under the age of 18.

If the Gambling Act is breached, a licence holder could be ordered to stop the illegal activity and receive a fine. In certain circumstances, license holders may have their licenses revoked.