Veikkaus Introduces New Restrictions on Slots in Shops

Veikkaus, a state-owned Finnish gambling company, announced new restrictions concerning slot games. Starting September 1, gamblers will have to abide by new playtime restrictions when playing in shops and grocery stores.

Veikkaus Unveils New Rules

The Veikkaus ruled that shops will have to turn off all slot machines after 9 pm and not boot them up until 9 am. This means that the betting company will effectively cut the time players can use slots in half. However, the aforementioned rule only applies to slot machines in shops and not to slot machines at other venues.

The next rule, on the other hand, applies to all slot machines in shops, restaurants and petrol stations. Veikkaus has notably decided to have gamers identify themselves when accessing a slot machine. This means that players will be unable to view the available games or play them without first identifying themselves.  

As a result, the state-owned monopoly will be able to better track players in the country and keep an eye on its customers’ spending habits. The gambling company will, therefore, be able to identify more problem bettors and tackle gambling harm.

By having customers identify themselves at each slot machine, Veikkaus will effectively be able to identify high-risk gamblers and prevent them from playing.

The Monopoly Is Committed to Safer Gaming

Veikkaus’ vice president of sustainability, Susanna Saikkonen, spoke about the new measures. She noted that the gambling monopoly wants to provide its customers with the opportunity to go to the store without being tempted by the slots.

In addition, Saikkonen noted that identified gambling is the first step towards a healthier gambling ecosystem. She noted that Veikkaus offers various responsible gambling and self-exclusion tools that allow customers to govern their gambling behavior. Gamblers can activate these restrictions via Veikkaus’ web service or through its customer service.

By asking customers to identify themselves, slot machines will ultimately be able to prevent self-excluded people from gaming. This, according to Saikkonen, is the key to preventing gambling harm. She concluded that Veikkaus wants to become a company that requires all of its customers, digital and retail alike, to identify themselves before gaming.

Veikkaus also wants to implement ID checks as per the government’s demands. This way the monopoly will be able to make sure that not a single at-risk customer plays. However, Veikkaus has to postpone its plans amid hardware difficulties. In June, the company told the government it would need a year to deal with the shortages.