POTENTIAL FINNISH ONLINE GAMBLING REGULATORS READY

25 January 2008

RAY chief says organisation has the technical capacity to operate online poker


Comments earlier this week by Stefan Wallin, Finland's culture and sport minister that the government should run an online poker service in order to woo punters away from foreign poker sites have met with a mixed response.

Wallin's counterpart in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Kari Paaso, promptly dismissed the suggestion on Tuesday, saying: "Domestic games would simply make everything even easier for gaming addicts. We will calmly follow the situation", he added.

However RAY communications director Matti Hokkanen said: "RAY, just like the government, has set the maintaining of this exclusive right in Finland as an important goal. Our estimate is that in the present unregulated and fast-moving environment, the start of Internet casino activities would mean a threat of a certain degree to RAY’s monopoly."

At present, RAY has exclusive rights to slot machine and casino activities in Finland.

Hokkanen emphasised that RAY has the technical capacity to facilitate online poker. "Launching the operation would not be without complications, however, as it would undoubtedly add to some individuals’ gambling problems", Hokkanen added.

Restrictions for a Finnish operator could not be significantly tighter compared with the overseas operators. Otherwise players would simply choose a foreign gaming site, he said.

According to Veikkaus Oy communications director Ilkka Juva, Veikkaus also has the technical expertise to set up online poker. "It is not an impossible idea at all, should the government and the gaming licence holders so agree. We have plenty of technical and business experience in such matters", Juva asserted.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa