World News

According to information from www.hs.fi and the Off Shore Gaming Association, a free-distribution newspaper in Finland has been fined for “printing advertisements of foreign gaming operators.” This case stands out because it is the first such action in a Finnish court. It will be of interest to anyone who tries to follow the confusing mixture of federal, state and local regulations in the world of gambling.

The story was first told in Helsingin Sanomat, which is described as “the biggest daily subscription-based newspaper in Scandinavia. It is also Finland's leading national paper, which is read by more than three-fourths of the residents of the Helsinki metropolitan area and by a quarter of all Finns. The paper is independent and non-aligned.”

According to the newspaper’s Web site, a district court found the managing editor of Metropoli guilty of violating lottery legislation because he allowed the ads to be published. Reportedly the advertisements were for poker games and betting. Finnish law states that it is illegal to organize “unauthorized gambling.” It is also illegal to advertise such gambling. The free-distribution newspaper was ordered to forfeit 6,000 Euros from advertising revenue. Media reports from Finland note that at least three similar cases are being considered.