If gambling has got out of hand — do this now

• Block gambling on the sites where you play. Instructions are below
• Block gambling payments on your bank card in the card settings of your mobile or online bank
• Set a voluntary credit ban on yourself, so that you cannot take out new loans to gamble
• Talk to someone. Peluuri's helpline 0800 100 101 is open on weekdays 12–18, the call is free and you can call anonymously. The service is mainly in Finnish

Blocking gambling

Veikkaus

In your Veikkaus gaming account you can set gambling limits for yourself and block your own gambling for a fixed period or until further notice. You set the block by logging in to your gaming account.

Foreign online casinos and betting sites

At the moment there is no single place in Finland where you can block gambling on all sites at once. You have to set the block on each site separately, usually in the site's settings or through customer service. You can also install an app that blocks gambling sites on your phone and computer, for example the free BetBlocker.

Blocking gambling payments on your bank card

In many banks you can block gambling payments on your card yourself. For example, in Nordea's mobile and online bank the setting is in the card settings under online gambling, and Revolut has its own gambling block. If you cannot find the setting in your own bank, ask the bank's customer service.

What changes on 1 July 2027

The new Gambling Act comes into force on 1 July 2027. After that, a player can block gambling on all gambling sites licensed in Finland with a single notification to the supervisory authority. All gambling will then require identification, and every gambling site must have a daily and monthly limit on the money transferred to the gaming account.

The central block only covers licensed companies. Sites without a Finnish licence fall outside it, so you will still have to block them yourself.

Gambling debts

Block new loans

A voluntary credit ban is an entry in your credit information that prevents new credit from being granted to you. You can set it yourself in the online services of Asiakastieto and Dun & Bradstreet using strong electronic identification. At Asiakastieto the entry costs €19.95 and is valid for two years. At Dun & Bradstreet the entry is valid for one year at a time, and you can see the price in the service. A credit ban also protects you when the urge to gamble is strong.

Do not pay debt with new debt

Payday loans and consumer credit taken to pay old gambling debts make the debt grow quickly. First call the free Debt Line 0800 9 8009 or contact financial and debt counselling (oikeuspalveluvirasto.fi), who help you work out the overall situation and make a payment plan.

Can you get debt restructuring for gambling debts?

Yes, but not always. If the debt arose from heedlessness, that can be an obstacle to debt restructuring. The District Court can still grant debt restructuring if there are weighty reasons. It takes into account, for example, your own efforts to pay the debts, the time that has passed since the debt arose and other circumstances. The payment programme is then usually five years instead of three.

A financial and debt counsellor helps you assess whether it is worth applying for debt restructuring and makes the application with you. There is more on enforcement and managing debts in the enforcement guide.

Help for the gambler

Stopping gambling on your own is hard, and it is worth getting help before the debts grow. Peluuri's services are nationwide and free.

When someone close to you gambles

Someone else's gambling is a strain and can take your money too. Peluuri's services are also meant for family and friends: in the Lähellä online group you get support from others with the same experience, with a facilitator, and with the test for family members you can assess how much the other person's gambling harms you.

Protect your own finances

• A spouse is not liable for the other spouse's debts unless they have committed to them themselves. Do not act as a guarantor and do not take out a joint loan to pay gambling debts
• Keep your own money in your own account that the person who gambles cannot access
• Do not lend your online banking codes or your card
• Pelirajaton's peer groups also support family members