Legislation

Finland – Veikkaus wants to speed up mandatory identification of players in gaming halls

By Phil - 28 August 2020

Finnish operator Veikkaus wants to bring forward the mandatory identification of players in gaming halls and extend the online loss limits to slot machines

Achieving the goals requires changes in either the law or regulations.

Veikkaus’ goal is to bring forward the transition to mandatory identification by 1.5 years in its own arcades, Feel Vegas and Gaming Houses. According to the original target timetable, the identification requirement would have entered into force at the beginning of 2023.

Jari Heino, Veikkaus’ Director of Channels and Sales, said: “If the decision-making and the ongoing reform of the Lottery Act enable our goal to be achieved, it will not be possible to play slot machines and table games in our arcades and casinos without identification after June 2021. With mandatory identification, people also have the opportunity to completely prevent themselves from playing if they feel it is causing problems.”

For decentralized vending machines, such as shops, transport stations and restaurants, mandatory identification will take effect as early as January 2021, in line with an earlier decision.

Mr. Heino added: “We want to build a gambling environment that also takes responsibility for those who do not stay in control. We are constantly designing more and more solutions that make gaming management easier. Through mandatory identification, a lot of opportunities open up for it, the implementation of which we will find out and take forward.”

Veikkaus also hopes that the maximum loss limit currently used in fast-paced online games (online lotteries, slot games, eBingo and table games, excluding poker) will be transferred directly to physical slot machines.

“According to our plan, it would happen by the end of June 2021, when the vending machines are subject to mandatory identification. As for Casino Helsinki, our plans are such that the machines there will not be subject to a common loss limit,” Mr. Heino said. “Among other things, the reforms will be able to prevent money laundering, as they will enable comprehensive control of customers’ money transactions. It also makes it easier to prevent underage gambling. We have raised our reference age limit from 23 to 30 years. That means everyone who looks under 30 will be asked for papers in our own playgrounds. The same is expected of our partners, for example in shops, kiosks, restaurants and transport stations, from the beginning of October.”

The loss limit for online fast-paced games is set by law at one thousand euros per day and two thousand euros per month. Due to the interest rate, the limit has been lowered by a decree of the Ministry of the Interior to 500 euros per month until the end of September 2020.