Much like the rest of Europe, Finland is quite the hub for gaming and betting. There is a huge market for casinos and gambling. Yet when it comes to the law, there’s not much freedom. Finnish gamers, thus, have found many ways around the matrix. Countless under-the-radar online casinos offer the best entertainment to all users. Most Scandinavian countries are not that strict when it comes to gambling laws. Finland is an exception. This has led many locals to turn to casinos without a license.
Several online casinos operating in the country are regulated under overseas’ jurisdiction. These casinos don’t have to report to the Finnish government. They are instead licensed by the UK government, but for the Finnish government, these casinos are unlicensed. Despite heavy regulations, Finland’s gambling industry has a net worth of almost EUR 400 billion. Let’s take a look at why unlicensed casinos are worth a sizeable fraction of this number.
An Outlook Of Unlicensed Finnish Casinos
Despite strict gambling laws in Finland, the government seems to be turning a blind eye to unlicensed online casinos in the country. It’s more like a gray area because there’s no shutting down or censoring of these unlicensed sites.
Some of the most popular Finnish casinos without a license are:
- Galaksino
- Casino Friday
- Lucky Casino
- Speedy Casino
People prefer these unlicensed casinos because the advantages outweigh any risks.
These casinos don’t bombard users with time restrictions. Instead, they give players the freedom to come and go as they wish. Licensed casinos in Finland have a minimum age requirement of 21. Also, the registration and verification process for such platforms takes much longer. Whereas unlicensed casinos allow users aged 18 or higher to sign up hassle-free. Plus, there is a fair chance of winning gambling games at these casinos, and this attracts more players.These casinos also offer various payment methods and provide security features as well.
Why Are Licensed Finnish Casinos Not As Popular?
Veikkaus Oy is the only casino that has the right to hold any betting or gambling-related events in Finland. Apart from this, there’s no other platform with the same permissions. This makes Veikkaus Oy the only government-owned monopolized gambling company in Finland. Here’s how this highly regulated (some would say overly regulated)monopoly works:
- Veikkaus Oy has rights to all betting related to sports and local lotteries.
- Fintoto Oy has rights to all the betting on horse racing.
- RAY is a brick-and-mortar casino offering gaming slots such as blackjack.
- PAF is an independent gambling platform authorized to operate in the Aland Province of Finland.
In short, the Finnish government has monopolized the whole industry, which does not ring too well with everyone.
Future Of Unlicensed Casinos
Sick of unwarranted regulations, Finnish citizens have taken a liking to unlicensed casinos. We can’t predict if the gambling laws will change, but for now, the government allows players to play at these casinos. In these casinos, the overall experience is much better. These platforms allow the players to sign up within minutes and provide a convenient flow of things.
Since Finland is home to a ton of gambling enthusiasts, several organizations use gambling services to raise funds for many social projects. These profits go to the country’s education and social or cultural projects. The Finnish government is still trying to wow people to their side of the fence with their licensed organizations. However, the disparities in the quality of service, ease of operation, and sense of freedom are very clear. If left unrestricted, Finnish casinos without licenses will most likely take over the gambling scene in the country.