Paf has joined Rahapeliala ry, the Finnish Gaming Association, as the country prepares to open its online gambling market to licensed operators on 1 July 2027.
The Nordic-based gaming company announced its membership at its annual company Åktoberfest seminar in Helsinki, which brought together representatives from the gaming industry, regulators, sports organisations and media to discuss the practical implications of Finland’s upcoming licensing system.
The association already includes several industry members, including Veikkaus, which joined in September.
Paf’s SVP of Public Affairs noted: “Paf’s experience, both domestically and from other markets, shows that it is crucial for the industry to be able to communicate common challenges to the rest of society with one strong, common voice.
“We believe Paf has a lot to contribute to that process, and we are convinced that the valuable work of the Finnish Gaming Association will continue and strengthen as we approach next year’s market opening.”
CEO of the Finnish Gaming Association Mika Kuismanen added: “Paf played a significant role in the preparation of the new Gambling Act, and cooperation with the Finnish Gaming Association has already been good in the past. Now we will be able to work even more closely together.‘’
The seminar also examined how Finland’s planned online gambling market opening in July 2027 could affect sports sponsorship, advertising regulations and player protection. Paf will become a main partner of the Finnish Ski Association when licensing takes effect in the summer of 2027, and will collaborate with Kimi Räikkönen. Global Gaming Insider recently interviewed another Finnish F1 Champion – the 'Flying Finn' Mika Häkinnen.
A second panel focused on tackling unlicensed gambling and introducing centralised gambling limits across operators. Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority Research Director Riku Buri identified both measures as priorities. Paf has advocated for centralised deposit limits for several years and introduced a mandatory annual loss limit in 2018, subsequently reducing it to €15,000 ($16,715) for customers aged 25 and over from 2026, with lower limits for younger customers.
Paf recently partnered with Meta on a Swiss pilot to identify unlicensed gambling operators advertising on its platforms, with the aim of expanding the model to other markets
