Paf joins Finnish Gaming Association ahead of Finland's market opening next year

Paf has joined the Finnish Gaming Association, known in Finnish as Rahapeliala ry, as the country prepares for a new regulated gambling market expected to open next year. The membership was announced at the Åktoberfest seminar in Helsinki.

The association counts several key sector players among its members, including Veikkaus, the current monopoly operator. Paf says it wants to contribute to the association's work as the market develops and new challenges emerge.

Sverker Skogberg, Paf's SVP Public Affairs, said the company's experience in Finland and other markets shows that the industry needs to speak to the rest of society with one strong, shared voice. He said Paf believes it has a lot to offer in that process and is convinced the association's work will continue and grow stronger as the market opening approaches.

Mika Kuismanen, CEO of the Finnish Gaming Association, welcomed the new member. He said Paf brings substantial expertise and experience to the organisation and will help strengthen its advocacy work. According to Kuismanen, Paf played a significant role in preparing the new Gambling Act, and cooperation between the company and the association has already been good. He added that working more closely together will make both stronger.

The seminar also covered centralised player limits and efforts to counter the illegal gambling market. Representatives of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) attended, as did Riku Buri, a research director at KKV. Buri argued that blocking the illegal gambling market should be a priority, together with gaming limits that apply to all gambling companies.

Paf has previously supported the idea of common limits. In 2018 it became the first global company to introduce a mandatory loss limit. For players aged 25 or older, that limit was adjusted in 2026 to 15,000 euros per year, reducing it further.