Paf wants to reduce its annual player loss limits even further
The Nordic gaming operator plans to almost halve a loss limit that’s already been reduced several times.
Finland.- Paf, the state-controlled gambling operator based on Finland’s autonomous Åland Islands, has revealed plans to reduced its already tight loss limits even further. The operator provides gaming on Åland and at sea in the Baltic region and on the North Sea and is preparing for the opening of regulated online gambling in Finland.
Paf first introduced a universal loss limit of €30,000 across its gaming offerings in 2018 and has steadily lowered it in the years since. In 2022, it introduced tiered loss limits based on age, with younger players subject to lower loss limits. In March last year, it lowered its general limit to €16,000 per year.
The limit has now been reduced again to €15,000, while the limits for younger players remain at €6,000 for those aged 20–24 and €1,800 for 18–19-year-olds. The operator says it intends to continue to gradually reduce the general annual player loss limit until it reaches €8,000.
CEO Christer Fahlstedt said approach demonstrates the operator’s commitment to responsibility and sustainability. He said: “We are extremely proud that through concrete measures and long-term investments in responsible gaming, we have now managed to halve the first loss limit introduced in 2018. This clearly shows that we are serious about our ambition to be a sustainable entertainment company.”
He added: “We have been clear about our ambition to take a strong stance on responsibility as a gaming company and to drive development towards a better gaming market. Unlike many other operators in the industry, we are also prepared to say no to revenue from unsustainable gaming. However, this needs to be done step by step, at a pace that is reasonably sustainable for us as a company operating in a competitive market.”
The new limit is intended to eliminate revenue from “high intensity” customers, which Paf defines as those losing between €15,000 and €30,000 annually. Such players generated €18.3m for the company in 2024.
Deputy CEO and chief responsibility officer Daniela Johansson said: “Completely removing the segment is a deliberate and important decision. It is a concrete way of showing that we do not want revenue that is not sustainable over time, especially when our purpose is to contribute to long-term societal benefit.”
Paf customers can also set their own personal limits, but the mandatory cap acts as a “final safeguard.”
Fahlstedt added: “Gaming limits have a real and measurable effect on gaming behaviour, and they stop a customer before things become seriously problematic. At the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that customers can relatively easily continue playing with another operator. That is why common national deposit limits are needed, and why gaming with unlicensed operators must be stopped.”
For 2024, Paf’s revenue was up by 3 per cent year-on-year at €183m. Group earnings were down by 18 per cent to €54m, affected by the increase in lottery tax in Finland and gaming tax in Sweden.
Last year, Paf signed up the Finnish Formula 1 star Kimi Räikkönen as a brand ambassador to ensure a strong presence in the upcoming regulated market in the country, which is now due to go live in mid 2027.
