Finland to review ban on scratchcards as gifts
The proposal to allow scratchcard gifting comes as Finland prepares to launch a new multi-licensing gambling regime.
Finland.- After publication of the Finnish Gambling Act last week, the government has now initiated a review into whether people should be allowed to buy scratchcards as gifts.
Buying scratchcards in Finland to give as presents has been prohibited since January 2024, when mandatory ID checks were introduced for all gambling activities run by state-owned operator Veikkaus. The current study, expected to conclude by March 31, will examine whether that measure should be lifted to allow prizes from scratchcards to be legally claimed by someone other than the purchaser.
Officials highlighted that during Administrative Committee discussions on Finland’s updated gambling framework, it was suggested that both the Gambling Act and the Lotteries Act be revised to allow scratchcard gifting.
However, some of the operators preparing to offer online gambling in Finland when the market is liberalised next year see the proposal as a move intended to shore up revenue for Veikkaus. They also question the justification in terms of player safeguards, arguing that scratchcards could be given as gifts to people who suffer from gambling harm.
Antti Koivula, chief compliance officer at Hippos ATG, said: “Officially this is about gift giving. In practice it is about restoring revenue for the state-owned gambling operator. Scratchcards will remain a monopoly product and will not be available to other future licensed operators, so the outcome is not relevant for other licence applicants.
“If giving scratch cards as gifts will be re-allowed, it will be interesting to hear the justification – what has changed from the gambling harm perspective in such a short time period? I highly doubt anyone will be officially brave enough to admit the real rationale.”
Finland’s new multi-licensing gambling regime is scheduled to take effect in July 2027, ending one of the last remaining gambling monopolies in Europe. The plan is to split Veikkaus in two. One side of the business will compete with licensed online gambling operators while the other will retain its monopoly over lottery products and land-based gaming.
