Finnish law enforcement officials are examining a Maltese gaming company for potentially engaging in forceful marketing tactics aimed at Finnish consumers.
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Finnish authorities are currently looking into a Maltese gambling company that is suspected of conducting forceful marketing campaigns within Finland.
According to the National Police Board’s investigation, the company (whose identity has not been revealed) has been running multi-platform Finnish-language promotional campaigns in Finland.
Police have observed that a key component of the marketing campaign has been sending text messages to consumers in mainland Finland, including some individuals under the legal gambling age.
The marketing campaign has also been seen on various websites targeting mainland Finland, such as Finnish-language affiliate websites, and certain social media figures known only within Finland have also participated in the campaign.
In Finland, all forms of gambling advertising are prohibited except for the existing monopoly operator Veikkaus. All forms of gambling other than those offered by Veikkaus are also illegal in Finland.
The Police Board has reached out to the company regarding the matter. Based on the company’s response, the police may impose penalties for unlawful marketing activities.
The worrying activities
The head of the National Police Board’s Lottery Management Division, Johanna Syväterä, stated that based on the agency’s data, these text messages were not tied to existing customer relationships but were actively aimed at expanding the gambling website’s customer base.
“Thus, receiving these messages was not a matter of personal choice; the target audience seems to have been chosen randomly.
“We find it especially troubling that gambling marketing is intentionally or carelessly directed at young people. These marketing efforts, particularly for online casinos, offer fast-paced automated games, which are believed to cause particularly high levels of harm and gambling addiction.
“Reports from citizens are vital for directing our oversight efforts. A significant portion of our administrative actions arise from the notifications we receive.”
Unrestricted
This case follows the National Police Board’s nationwide campaign earlier this year to increase awareness of illegal marketing and encourage more consumers to report incidents to law enforcement.
The campaign emphasized the financial, social, and health problems associated with gambling and shared information on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
The National Police Board’s report reveals that a notable consequence of the campaign was a one-third rise in marketing-related reports received by the police, which aided in directing law enforcement efforts towards areas where marketing activities were most prevalent.
“We believe that one of the primary objectives of the campaign, reducing the reporting threshold, has also allowed us to intervene early in SMS marketing that is now visible,” Syväterä stated.
**Exclusive Control Ends**
Last week, a governmental analysis of Finland’s monopoly system in comparison to international benchmarks concluded that maintaining the current system is “not advisable.”
Instead, the study outlined two possible choices for Finnish legislators. The first option, based on the Norwegian model, would grant regulators wider authority to prevent consumers from accessing unauthorized gambling websites from overseas. This could encompass blocking orders, advertising prohibitions, and new policies to disrupt payment processing.
The second option, as implemented in some of Finland’s neighboring nations, would be to establish a gambling regulatory licensing framework. According to the study, introducing this system would “substantially enhance” the channeling of users towards legal products.
Vika Development, a government-owned enterprise, has commended the research. Chief Executive Officer Olli Sarekoski highlighted the significance of the offshore industry and stated he is receptive to enacting a licensing framework to enhance Finland’s channeling rate.
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