Finland’s Slot Machine Association prepared to launch online poker in 2010

It will take yet another year until Finland’s Slot Machine Association (RAY) is able to begin offering online gaming, estimates Janne Peräkylä, the Director of Gaming Operations.
     
The launch of a national online gaming service has been prompted by a final report submitted on Tuesday and constituting a foundation for the second stage of the reform of the Finnish Lotteries Act.
      The final report of a steering group suggests certain amendments to the act, the purpose of which is primarily to prevent illegal gambling and problem playing.
      The proposed amendments are to enter into effect from the beginning of 2012, if they are passed in Parliament. However, the report suggests that RAY should go online already earlier.
      ”This was a clear request by the government, and now we are to provide what is expected”, Peräkylä says.
     
In mainland Finland, there is a statutory monopoly system, with three gaming operators acting in three clearly distinct product areas, namely RAY, Veikkaus (the Finnish lottery) and Fintoto (totalisator betting on harness racing).
      In principle, the system is based on gaming licences, granted under the Lottery Act. However, in practice these gaming organisations have a monopoly in their clearly distinct product areas.
      The report suggests that the Finnish Lotteries Act would stipulate that the operators have exclusive rights to operate slot machines, casino games, and other gaming in their clearly delineated product areas.
     
According to the proposal, the Act should state that the gaming operators also have an obligation to prevent abuses and gambling problems.
      From the beginning of 2010, the gaming operations would also be monitored more intensively, while new resources are to be allocated to the new central bureau of the Finnish police that is to be set up.
      The gaming operators would not be allowed to compete with each other, and Fintoto would be the only organiser of totalisator betting, while today also the national lottery company Veikkaus is also allowed to operate tote games.
      All three gaming operators would be allowed to offer both online and traditional gaming. Today Veikkaus and Fintoto are already offering online gaming.
     
RAY’s online games would in practice compete with foreign gaming operators as well as with Paf, an organisation that manages gaming operations in the autonomous province of Åland, onboard Åland- and Finnish-owned ferries, and via the Internet.
      The purpose of the reform is to offer a safe alternative for online gaming.
      The report says that RAY is to check all players’ identity and age against the national population register to ensure compliance with the minimum age limit of 18 years, and to prevent players from gambling using credit.
      Moreover, players are to have access to unsurpassed independent gaming management tools, and the service applies limits set by the Finnish authorities.
     
At the same time, no limits are proposed to the online gaming of foreigners or residents of Åland.
      For example, the prevention of money transfers into foreign gaming accounts would be difficult from a legal perspective, says Secretary of State Ilkka Oksala (National Coalition), the chair of the steering group, from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
      According to RAY’s Peräkylä, the number of Finns who play online games is 200,000. He estimates that some 50,000 to 100,000 of them could become RAY’s clients.
      The aim is to bring the bills based on the given proposals before Parliament next autumn.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Largest theft on record revealed at Grand Casino Helsinki (23.4.2009)
  EU court proposal would allow Finland to restrict online gambling (4.11.2008)
  European Union takes issue with sports betting monopoly in Finland (22.3.2007)

See also:
  Wanna bet? Finland´s gaming monopolies are under attack (16.12.2003)

Links:
  RAY
  RAY press release 28.4.2009: Finland´s gaming policy becomes clearer