LOTTERY
instruments to respond to competition are not allowed to be used. It now seems evident that responsibility is increasing. On a positive note, the choice has finally been made, but I think it is far too late and no longer enough to save the situation at hand. Now there is a significant risk that the rate of problem gambling will not be heading in the right direction. At the same time, gambling profits will collapse, and, above all, Veikkaus will permanently lose its future competitiveness. Included in the proposed legislation is the mandatory identification of players - a measure which has already been introduced for land-based slot machines. The requirement to register for other gambling products will come into effect over the next few years. In terms of responsible gambling, this is
THIS SHOWS THAT DECISION MAKERS HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH CUSTOMER DATA a good reform. But it is also something which will drastically impact gambling revenues. The potential positive impact of identified gambling on business is based on the utilisation of customer data. However, it seems that Veikkaus' ability to use data as a modern business company will be restricted, or even denied. This shows that decision makers have no understanding of what can be done with customer data. Using it is not automatically the same thing as adding gambling problems. It seems that the Finnish state no longer wants Veikkaus to even operate as a profitable business. At most, it seems like they want the company to just put its products on offer, as was the case in the 1980s. I'm sorry on behalf of Veikkaus' knowledgeable and skillful employees because they do not get to do the job properly. However, there have been significant changes in slot machine operations over the past year. Veikkaus voluntarily decided to reduce the number of those machines across its land-based venues. However, the number of slot
machine locations did not decrease in almost the same proportion. The change that has now come into force, making slot machine play only possible for registered customers. This can only be a good thing. The explanatory memorandum to
the new law states that slot machines' placement should aim for solutions that minimise the risks of problem gambling. However, many would like to see slot machines removed from public open spaces completely. I don’t feel that this should be the case.
ONE OF THE MOST POSITIVE REFORMS OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION IS THE CLARIFICATION OVER MARKETING STRATEGIES
Personally, I have never understood why slot machines can be kept in entirely open spaces in Finland. Slot machines are an integral part of gambling, but I think the machines' correct location would be mainly in arcades and other age-restricted
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