Jouni Ovaska, Member of Parliament from the Centre Party, is urging Finland to proactively ban political betting as the country opens its gambling market to licensed competition.
In a public statement, Ovaska warned that opening the gambling market creates a “real risk” of US-style betting on political events emerging in Finland.
He added: “This shows the scale of the phenomenon and how far markets can go.”
Ovaska pointed to the US market, where bettors have been able to place wagers on outcomes related to events such as military action involving Iran, as evidence of how far these markets can extend. He framed the issue not merely as a gambling regulation problem but as a threat to democratic integrity, arguing that financial incentives tied to political decisions erode public trust in institutions.
He added: "It would be unsustainable for democracy if, for example, bets could be placed on parliamentary decisions like the border law at the same time those decisions are being made."
He specified that political betting should be made explicitly illegal at least for decision-makers and their associates, to prevent any situation where officeholders could profit financially from their own or their colleagues' legislative actions.
Finland’s parliament approved a new gambling law in December, which already includes restrictions on election-related wagering. According to it, operators will be able to apply for licenses with the National Police Board from March, ahead of a planned market launch in July 2027.
Ovaska argued that the intervening period should be used to address remaining regulatory gaps before the system becomes fully operational.
Jouni Ovaska is 39-years old and has served as a Member of the Finnish Parliament since 2019
