Operators applying for a Finnish gambling licence must attach several statements to their application. One of them concerns marketing. According to the Gambling Act, applicants must include a statement of where and how they intend to market gambling.
This article explains what that requirement means in practice and what operators should think through before writing it. It is not legal advice, and Collafly does not prepare or represent licence applications.
What the Act requires
The Act lists the information a licence application must contain. For gambling licence applicants, the attachments include, among others:
- a statement of the planned forms of gambling;
- information on the gambling software supplier;
- a statement of where and how gambling is intended to be marketed;
- statements on procedures for disputes and complaints, match-fixing prevention and anti-money-laundering obligations.
Applications are submitted to the National Police Board in Finnish or Swedish. The Finnish Police publish the current instructions and application form; always follow the latest version.
What a credible marketing statement typically considers
The Act states the requirement briefly. In practice, describing "where and how" credibly means having a plan that fits the marketing rules. Points operators typically need to think through include:
- Channels — which of the permitted channels you plan to use: own website and social accounts, TV and radio, events, print, outdoor, search, direct marketing with consent.
- Methods — the main marketing methods, for example sponsorship, broadcast campaigns or search.
- Brands — which brand names will be marketed in Finland.
- Moderation — how you will keep marketing moderate in amount, visibility and frequency.
- Protection of minors — how marketing will avoid targeting or featuring under-18s.
- Vulnerable people — how direct marketing consent and gambling blocks will be respected.
- Required information — how age limits, help services, licence and supervisory authority information will appear.
Whether each of these must be included, and in what detail, is a question for your legal counsel and the authority's instructions.
Common gaps
- Copying a global or Nordic marketing plan that relies on influencers or affiliates — channels that are not permitted in Finland. See can gambling companies use influencers in Finland?
- Describing sponsorship without addressing the under-18 rules.
- Planning bonus-led campaigns without checking the prohibited methods.
Keep the statement and the execution aligned
The application describes your intentions; your launch must then match them. Licence holders also report on their marketing — the Act refers, for example, to an annual statement on the previous year's marketing. A plan you can actually execute is worth more than an ambitious one.
Where Collafly fits
Collafly is not a legal adviser. Once your strategy is approved by your legal and compliance team, we can help translate it into local execution: Finnish content production, sponsorship partner sourcing and campaign coordination. See iGaming market entry in Finland.
