The survey also reported uneven public awareness of the upcoming reforms to the Finnish gambling market which will see Veikkaus lose its online monopoly.
A survey of 1,000 Finnish residents has found that blocking payments to unlicensed gambling sites is widely regarded as the most effective single tool to combat illegal gambling.
Commissioned by affiliate site Turtlebet and conducted by Bilendi in April 2026, the survey questioned a nationally representative sample of Finns aged 18 to 65 about their views on the forthcoming overhaul of Finland’s gambling system.
Participants were asked about strategies to fight unlicensed operators and whether overseas gambling offers are enticing players away from licensed domestic platform, Veikkaus.
Finland is preparing for a complete overhaul of its gambling market. The country is moving away from its longstanding monopoly model operated by Veikkaus towards a licensing framework that will open parts of the market to private operators.
Under the reform package, companies will be able to apply for licences from 2026 ahead of the regulated market launch scheduled for 1 July 2027. The poll also highlighted uneven public awareness of these reforms.
Key findings
The survey, conducted across Finland with respondents balanced by sex, age and region, found that 67% of participants were aware that gambling legislation changes are imminent. Awareness was notably higher among men (80%) compared to women (54%) and increased with age, rising to 71% among those aged 50-65. This was versus 63% of younger adults aged 18-34.
Regarding the reasons users choose unlicensed foreign gambling sites, only 30% of respondents agreed that more attractive bonuses and promotions are a factor. This was balanced by 41% who disagreed and 29% who were uncertain.
Men (43%) were more likely to view bonuses as influential than women (18%). Younger respondents (18-34 years) showed slightly higher agreement (35%) than older age groups.
When asked which measures would be most effective in discouraging use of illegal gambling sites, opinions favoured blocking payments to these operators (32%). This was in addition to the enhancement of the appeal of licensed domestic offerings (26%).
Technical measures such as internet protocol (IP) blocking were less well supported (11%), with nearly a third (29%) of respondents uncertain about the best approach.
Public perception of blacklisting illegal gambling sites was mixed. A plurality (43%) believed that a public blacklist would not prevent people from using the sites. But 24% thought it would with the remainder undecided.
Demographic variations
Men exhibited higher awareness of the reform and were more inclined to cite foreign site bonuses as a reason for user choice. Women tended to reject bonuses as a motivating factor.
Younger respondents displayed the greatest uncertainty across several questions and were somewhat more optimistic regarding the potential effect of blacklisting illegal sites (29% in favour among 18-34 year olds, compared to 23% overall).
Those from the greater Helsinki area accounted for around 30% of respondents, representing a larger share of higher income brackets. Respondents with higher incomes were more likely to believe foreign bonuses influence consumer behaviour.
The illegal market across Europe
The Finnish liberalisation process has been driven partly by concerns that the monopoly system was no longer effectively channelling Finnish consumers towards regulated offerings.
“The aim of the bill has been to find a regulatory solution in which the regulation combating gambling harms would be balanced with the fact that gambling companies want to apply for a licence and that online gambling would be directed to a regulated gaming offering,” Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen said during the bill’s first passing through parliament.
Kathryn covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.