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Finland’s new Gambling Risk and Harm Assessment Group, known as GRHAG, has opened a consultation on tougher gambling protection rules. The group is under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The consultation opened on January 30, 2026, and it runs until February 24, 2026.
Finland is building a new licensing market that is expected to open for applications in March 2026, with the regulated market targeted to start in July 2027. So the rules being discussed now will shape how Finland’s future licensed operators are allowed to run their products, market to players, and keep risk under control.
The biggest flashpoint is a proposed cross operator loss limit register
A player’s loss limit would apply across the entire legal market, not per site. That means a player cannot hit a cap on one brand and simply move to another licensed operator to keep going.
Regulators like it because it closes the obvious loophole in a multi operator market. Operators are nervous because it changes the commercial reality of a competitive market. It forces tighter controls that follow the player wherever they go.
Deposit, loss, and time controls are expected to be standard
The consultation also points toward firm baseline safety controls across licensed operators. That includes deposit limits, loss limits, and time limits. The direction of travel is clear. Finland wants player control tools baked in from the start, not added later when pressure builds.
The consultation approach also expects active monitoring and earlier intervention. It is not just about letting players set limits and walking away. The expectation is that operators should spot risk patterns sooner and act.
Ages 18 to 24 are flagged for stricter handling
The consultation highlights ages 18 to 24 as a higher risk group. In practice, that can lead to stricter limits and stronger protection requirements for this bracket compared with older players.
This part will matter to operators because it pushes age based controls deeper into product design. It also matters politically because it is easy for policymakers to defend tougher rules for younger players.
Operators warn the rules could push players to unlicensed sites
The pushback has already started. Two groups named in industry coverage are SkillOnNet and Wildz Group. Their argument is that if legal play becomes too restrictive, a portion of players will drift to offshore and unlicensed sites that do not enforce the same limits.
Wildz Group also points to Germany as a warning example, citing estimates of roughly 20 to 30 percent channelisation in a strict limit environment. If the legal market feels too constrained, the illegal market becomes more attractive, and consumer protection suffers.
Source: Nordic Welfare
