Finnish online gambling loss limits become permanent

[The Buzz]

A "temporary" reduction of the maximum amount a player can lose in a given day or month has been made permanent by Finland’s Ministry of the Interior.

Back in September 2020, it was announced that the €500 loss limit introduced in May 2020 would remain in effect for the rest of 2020, citing that the "coronavirus situation may still be associated with the risks of excessive gambling.” In March, Finnish gambling monopoly Veikkaus announced the maximum players can lose in a day to €500 (£428/$590) will remain until at least 30 June.

This week, the government confirmed the loss limits will become permanent. Players will only be able to lose maximum of €500 (£429/$596) each day while playing online casino games with Veikkaus. The limit was previously set at €1,000 per day. A monthly loss limit of €2,000 for online casinos games will also remain in place, as set out by the new decree.

From iGaming Business:

“The reduced maximum loss limit has been in use for a year,” Finland’s Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo said. “Loss limits are a good way to prevent gambling harm.

“In addition to gambling problems, lowering the loss limit will combat over-indebtedness and livelihood problems, and I am pleased that the daily loss limit will be permanently reduced from €1,000 to €500.”

Read more here: https://www.veikkaus.fi/fi/yritys#!/...ilanne_paattyy

[afrekomedia]

This is another "one blanket approach" that can result in backlash. Much like how the Swedish temporary deposit restrictions created a bigger appetite for unlicensed operators.

[Pokerface]

Just the start as many other markets are and/or will be imposing these type of restrictions.

[Brian Morin]

As far as I know, Finland has become the latest European country to implement loss limits on online gambling during the Covid-19 pandemic. Other countries use other methods. For example, Norway replaced harmful high-intensity slot machines with machines that require users to register their gambling. Every Norwegian using one of these machines has to create a registered account, with maximum limits set on how much you can lose per day and per month, and the capacity to set a lower limit than the universal maximum. In the UK in 2019, the maximum amount you could lose per spin shrank from £ 100 to £ 2. There are many such changes, these are the ones I have heard about.
I wonder what other changes will be introduced by governments of different countries. This is interesting to watch.