Finland influencers warned for promoting unlicensed gambling brands
Summary
The Finland National Police Board has issued warnings to two unnamed social media influencers for breaching the country’s Lotteries Act by promoting unlicensed gambling brands. Each faces a conditional fine of €30,000 if they continue to publish such content. The posts in question promoted grey-market operators to audiences outside Finland and appeared on platforms including Twitch and Kick.
A third influencer was hit with the same €30,000 conditional fine after continuing to publish prohibited gambling promotions following an earlier warning. The board has ordered removal of the offending content and an immediate stop to further gambling promotion.
The rulings reinforce that marketing gambling into Finland is illegal unless conducted by state-owned Veikkaus, which currently holds a monopoly. Finland’s market, however, is scheduled to liberalise: operators can apply for licences from early 2026 and the transition to a licensed market is expected to complete by 2028.
Key Points
- The National Police Board warned two influencers for promoting unlicensed gambling brands; each faces a conditional €30,000 fine if breaches continue.
- A third influencer was fined €30,000 after ignoring an initial warning and continuing prohibited promotion.
- Marketing was aimed at viewers outside Finland but the board ruled this still violates Finnish law; only Veikkaus may market gambling in mainland Finland.
- Content appeared on streaming platforms such as Twitch and Kick and involved affiliate-style promotions for grey-market operators.
- Finland’s gambling market is due to liberalise: operator licence applications open early 2026, with a phased roll-out through to 2028.
Context and relevance
For marketers, affiliates and influencers working across borders, this is a clear reminder that national advertising rules can apply even when content appears to target foreign audiences. The cases show Finnish authorities are actively policing social channels for affiliate and influencer promotions linked to unlicensed operators. With liberalisation on the horizon, enforcement now aims to protect the incumbent monopoly and public policy until the new licensing regime is in place.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you work with affiliates, shoutouts or streaming promos, this story matters. Finnish regulators aren’t messing about — promoting grey-market gambling, even from abroad, can land influencers with big conditional fines and orders to remove content. We’ve cut through the legalese so you don’t have to dig through the Lotteries Act yourself.
Source
Source: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/finland-influencers-warned-gambling-marketing/
