Grasping Finnish players’ preferences regarding gameplay, including their methods and locations, is essential for both policy-makers and operators considering market entry. The comprehensive surveys by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (conducted every four years) reveal the trends that the new licensing system will face. In this document, we showcase important results from the 2023 Gambling Population Study and additional data, with charts and tables for better understanding.

General Decrease in Participation: The involvement in gambling activities has been declining in Finland. As mentioned, the percentage of adults (15–74) who participated in gambling over the last year decreased from 78% in 2019 to 70% in 2023.

Although fewer individuals are currently gambling, those who still engage may be focusing their efforts (the overall spending hasn’t decreased proportionately with participation, suggesting that the intensity among the remaining gamblers remains consistent). Moreover, the risk profile has not advanced as anticipated – the decrease in casual gamblers has not yet resulted in a proportional decline in problem gamblers.

Lotteries undoubtedly prevail – more than half of the population participates in Lotto or similar draw games each year. This is a reliable foundation: lottery participation is high but occurs infrequently (many join in sporadically when the jackpot is large). Scratch cards attract a wide range of demographics due to their straightforwardness. Conversely, approximately one out of every six Finns engages with the slot machines found in stores, indicating that these typically attract a dedicated group of players who gamble frequently (resulting in significant losses) instead of appealing to a broad audience.

Combined, sports and horse betting attract approximately 15% of individuals. This may be less than what some anticipate due to the enthusiasm Finns have for sports, but it indicates that the Veikkaus sports betting options (which were somewhat restricted in competitiveness and variety of odds) did not attract a large segment of the population. This is precisely where new operators could grow the market by providing greater diversity (in-play betting, additional leagues, improved odds), potentially boosting that participation after 2027.

Poker and other niche games are limited; Finland experienced a poker surge in the 2000s (featuring international figures like Patrik Antonius), but poker has since become a marginal pursuit.

Finnish Gambler Preferences and Behavior (Data-Driven Insights)
Understanding what Finnish players like to play – and how, and where – is crucial for both policy and operators planning entry. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s extensive surveys (conducted every 4 years) shed light on the patterns that the new licensing regime will confront. Here, we present key findings from the 2023 Gambling Population Study and other data, accompanied by charts and tables for clarity.

Overall Participation Decline: Gambling participation has been trending downward in Finland. As noted, the share of adults (15–74) who gambled in the past year dropped from 78% in 2019 to 70% in 2023.

While fewer people gamble now, those who do might be concentrating their activity (the total spending hasn’t dropped commensurately with participation, indicating intensity among remaining players stayed similar). Additionally, the risk profile has not improved as hoped – the reduction in casual gamblers hasn’t yet translated to fewer problem gamblers proportionally.

Lotteries clearly dominate – over half the population plays Lotto or related draw games annually. This is a stable cornerstone: lottery play has high participation but low frequency (many play occasionally when jackpot is big). Scratch cards also enjoy broad appeal across demographics for their simplicity. In contrast, only about one in six Finns plays the slot machines that are in shops, reflecting that these tend to have a devoted user base that plays often (and incurring a large share of losses) rather than mass appeal.

Sports betting and horse betting combined reach around 15% of people. This might be lower than some might expect given Finns’ sports fervor, but it suggests the Veikkaus sports betting offerings (which were somewhat limited in odds competitiveness and variety) did not entice a huge portion of the public. This is exactly where new operators might expand the market by offering more variety (in-play betting, more leagues, better odds), possibly increasing that participation post-2027.

Poker and other niche games are small; Finland had a poker boom in the 2000s (with international successes like Patrik Antonius), but poker is now a minor activity.

Online vs Offline Play: A very important trend is the migration to online:

• In 2007, only 11% of Finns had gambled online. By 2015, it was 29%. By 2019, 36%. And in 2023, 44% gambled online.
• Meanwhile, land-based play (e.g. physical slot machines, retail lotto) dropped. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift: Veikkaus saw increased online registrations when casinos and slot halls were closed.
• Veikkaus’s own split: roughly 45% of its revenue in 2022 came from the digital channel. We can expect that to exceed 50% by 2027, meaning the majority of Finnish gambling spend will be online.

The implication is that the new licensing mainly addresses where the growth and action already is – online. Land-based venues (except those physical slots) are marginal aside from the flagship casinos.

Offshore Gambling Patterns: Approximately 7% of the population gambled on non-monopoly platforms (i.e., Paf or foreign sites) in 2023. This overall percentage hasn’t grown recently, but the composition might have: Paf’s share increased slightly, meaning perhaps foreign dot.com sites stayed around 4–5% of people. It’s useful to know who these offshore gamblers are. THL’s survey reveals:

• They skew heavily male – 12% of men vs only a few percent of women used offshore sites.
• They are younger – 15% of 18–29 year-olds gambled offshore, compared to virtually 0% of over-65s. There was even an uptick in the 45–59 age group since 2019 (from a low base), but the core remains young males.
• They favor fast online games and sports: likely online slots, live casino, sports betting on international leagues, eSports, etc.

Understanding this, new licensees will target particularly these demographics – offering the products and experiences that drew them offshore, but now under Finnish regulation.

Channelization Baseline: The channelization rate is typically described as the proportion of overall gambling income allocated to regulated (legal) options. Before the reform, Finland’s online channelization was estimated to be approximately 80–85%, with Veikkaus and Paf covering that portion and 15–20% directed towards foreign websites. For land-based, it was almost 100% (as illegal physical gambling is minimal). The total gambling channelization could have been around 90%. The government intends to push online channelization nearer to about 95%. Accomplishing this involves transitioning a significant portion of the 250k offshore users to local platforms and ideally stopping new players from operating without regulation.

Money Movements and Spending Trends: Finnish gamblers, on average, did not raise their expenditure from 2019 to 2023, despite the decline in players. THL data indicates that average expenditure among gamblers remained unchanged; this suggests that the overall market GGR was either steady or slightly decreased. Veikkaus’s yearly GGR fell from approximately €1.7bn in 2019 to around €1.1bn in 2022 (partially because of COVID and machine removals), and a portion of that decline might have shifted to offshore or simply indicate reduced gambling overall. The updated licensing could reclaim some of the lost expenditure (by introducing new offerings such as live betting that attract inactive bettors) or it might undermine Veikkaus’s current income if few new participants join.

A notable statistic: In 2023, 2.2% of bettors represented 50% of the total gambling spending in Finland. This emphasizes the imbalance – a small percentage of high-stakes players account for most of the losses (and probably, most problem gamblers belong to that group). This is typical in gambling markets but highlights why Finland is cautious: if rivalry drives firms to pursue high rollers aggressively, it may worsen conditions for that at-risk 2.2%. Conversely, through centralized self-exclusion and imposed restrictions, the system seeks to reduce the risks for those individuals.

Regional Variations: Participation in gambling was previously more common in rural regions and among Finnish speakers of Swedish (historically linked to trotting bets in countryside communities and the use of Paf within the Swedish Åland community). The reform is nationwide in scope, but there’s one oddity: Åland’s Paf is exclusive to Åland and oversees all gambling activities there. Åland residents (approximately 30,000 individuals) will probably continue using Paf as normal – they are not the primary focus of new licenses, which will be aimed at the mainland. Mainland Finnish players utilizing Paf can continue their gameplay on Paf (should Paf secure a license) or explore different platforms.

Attitudinal Shifts: From 2019 to 2023, the Finnish public’s views towards gambling became more critical in certain areas. In 2023, most people (61%) believed that there are “too many chances to gamble” in Finland, reflecting the historical presence of slot machines. Additionally, 90% expressed that gambling ought not to be promoted. These perspectives likely compelled Veikkaus to reduce visible betting and prompted the government to guarantee that the new competitive market doesn’t lead to an abundance of new gambling venues everywhere. Interestingly, under the new legislation, Finland preserved physical slot machines within the monopoly specifically to facilitate ongoing reduction and regulation of those without new firms installing machines.

However, a small majority (58%) also concurred that individuals should have the right to gamble at any time they choose – reflecting support for personal liberty as well. Approximately 20% believe that gambling provides overall advantages to society (probably referring to the funds for beneficial purposes).

From those somewhat conflicting views, one can infer Finns are okay with gambling existing but want it contained and tempered. The challenge for new operators will be to gain acceptance by demonstrating they are operating responsibly and contributing positively (through tax and perhaps sponsorship of sports or charities, albeit carefully). They must avoid high-profile missteps (like ads that clearly target youth or a spike in problem gambling cases tied to their brand) that would turn public sentiment further against gambling expansion.

In Appendix C, we include additional tables from THL’s 2023 study, such as the breakdown of gambling participation by age and gender, and the long-term trend of online vs offline play. These provide deeper insight (for example, the sharp decline in under-18 gambling after strict ID checks, or the increase in exclusive online play vs mixed online/offline play).

To summarize the key gambler preferences relevant to 2027:

• Finns love lotteries – that stays with Veikkaus (no change).
• Finns enjoy convenience and anonymity of quick games (scratch cards, slots) – but those will be highly regulated and not heavily expanded in availability despite more online slots.
• The growth opportunity and competition battleground will be in online sports betting and casino, particularly for men under 50. Currently their needs were partially unmet; soon they will have many legal options.
• There is a substantial group of heavy gamblers who use multiple products and contributed most revenue – how they shift their play (stay with Veikkaus out of habit, or try new platforms for better offers) will significantly impact market shares and channelization.
• Responsible Gambling tools will be ubiquitous, so Finnish players will experience more intervention and friction (e.g., setting limits, seeing regular reminders) on any licensed site than they might have on offshore sites. The hope is they accept this as the new normal and do not find it a reason to return to unregulated operators that might still offer unbridled play.

This data-centric understanding will inform the scenarios and industry strategies discussed later in the primer.

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