The decision by the chairman of the Finnish slot machine monopolist RAY to quit over questionable political contributions has come at an awkward time for Finnish politicians.

Finland's policymakers have embraced last year's Bwin Liga ECJ decision. While the country's reform project had appeared to stall, a constitutional committee has recently published comments on the remaining proposals, with an administrative committee likely to close the committee stage next week.

The editor of a Helsinki magazine which accepted ads from online gambling firms looks set to be become the latest individual to be prosecuted under Finland’s Lotteries Act, but observers say that the seemingly random targeting of Metropoli magazine also reveals some uniquely Finnish anxieties that are shaping the reform of the country’s gaming laws.

Finland’s state monopoly casino operator has technology in place to launch an internet poker room and is likely to do so before the end of this year, according to local newspaper reports.

A ministerial working group has presented  its final stage proposals to Finland’s interior Minister, Anne Holmlund, clearing the way for Finland’s slot machine monopoly, RAY, to begin offer online gambling services.

Debates held last week in the Finnish Parliament set the ball rolling in the second and final stage of a process designed to reform the Nordic country’s gambling legislation. But many observers now see the gambling monopoly likely to be cemented over the coming weeks, despite calls from private operators that the European Commission take action following a tightening of advertising rules.

Online gambling companies with Finnish-language websites risk being found in violation of Finland’s Lotteries Act following last week’s decision by the country’s Prosecutor General in a case involving local operator PAF.

Finland’s state-owned gaming operator RAY plans to launch into online casino gaming and poker by the middle of next year following recently unveiled changes to the Finnish government’s gambling policy, RAY’s director of gaming tells GamblingCompliance.

The Åland Islands have said they would consider licensing foreign operators to provide online gambling to the Finnish mainland, should the new State Lotteries Act not make provision for the autonomous region’s own monopoly PAF.

With speculation mounting that Finland’s forthcoming gambling reforms will restrict the scope of operations of Åland’s only licensed gaming operator, PAF, this article analyses a move the autonomous region of Finland is considering - implementing an open licensing regime for online gambling. Should the island follow this route it could have repercussions in gaming circles far beyond the island’s Baltic home.