Finland National Police Board warns Betsson with fine due to marketing breaches

Finland's National Police Board is currently tasked with directing, developing, planning and supervising police operations. Its additional responsibilities include supervising gambling activities, among other important matters. Last month, the National Police Board imposed a prohibition against Betsson AB's subsidiary, BML Group Ltd, asking the company to stop marketing its gambling services in Finland.

Upon announcing the prohibition, the National Police Board claimed that the subsidiary marketed its services in the country in violation of the Finnish Lotteries Act. Now, the Police Board announced it imposed a €2.4m conditional fine in an effort to enforce the prohibition, a statement reveals.

Judging by the recent statement, the fine appears to be contingent on the compliance of BML Group Ltd with the Board's prohibition. "The decision enters into force on 3 June 2023. BML Group Ltd may file an appeal on the decision by the same date," explained the National Police Board.

According to the Board, compliance with the prohibition requires Betsson's subsidiary to discontinue publishing promotional sales materials that target Mainland Finland via its gambling websites. The prohibition, the supervisory body said, is applicable to all marketing materials that promote directly or indirectly gambling activities for Mainland Finland.

What's more, the Police Board demanded BML Group stop posting any other marketing materials via other websites in the future and at the same time, remove previously published promotional sales materials. "The prohibition also applies to marketing of BML Group Ltd.’s services on websites other than those owned and administered by the Group in a manner that involves the Group or its representative giving financial benefits to the marketer," added the Board.

The recent statement released by the Board acknowledged that BML Group "has significant financial interest in continuing the activities and found that the illegal activities have continued for a long time regardless of the National Police Board's previous control measures." The regulatory body acknowledged that it has gone through a hearing process which resulted in changes to the marketing of the company.

However, the Police Board said that marketing materials that targeted Mainland Finland continued to appear. Still, it acknowledged that the efforts of Betsson's subsidiary were considered as "a mitigating factor when the amount of the conditional fine was determined."

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