Finland’s state-owned gambling operator says it will monitor closely planned government reforms to end its monopoly in the industry.
Veikkaus Oy vice president Velipekka Nummikoski said in a statement the operator will pay "particular" attention to the aims of enabling a licence system that channels gambling well and promotes effective prevention of harm.
On Wednesday, the Finnish Ministry of the Interior published a consultation on wide-ranging details on the reform of the country’s gambling system into a multi-licensing system.
Nummikoski said Veikkaus Oy will “familiarise” itself the draft law and “give our own statement by the deadline” of August 18.
Veikkaus would “in practice” retain a monopoly in games such as lottery games and scratch cards, but other gambling companies could enter the market with an exclusive licence or a gambling game licence.
The supply of the software in igaming content would be subject to a game software licence, with suppliers being required to pay an annual supervision fee to the new Finnish Supervision Agency.
“The monopoly activities remaining with Veikkaus and those in the competitive market would be separated into different companies within the same group,” the consultation adds. “The government would decide on the compensation payable by Veikkaus each year to the state for its exclusive licence.”
