BML Group, a Betsson subsidiary, has been hit with a €2.4m conditional fine and ordered to stop its marketing services in mainland Finland.
The country’s National Police Board came to its decision on April 7 and says that BML posted gambling promotions on its website in Finland, which goes against the monopoly system held by state-owned company Veikkaus.
BML operates under Betsson’s MGA licence and the fine is the biggest issued by Finland’s National Police Board. It is also the first time the authority has issued a sanction to an MGA-licenced company.
The National Police Board said BML were presented with “several opportunities” to air their views and to “change their activities" and comply with the views of the authority.
But despite making some marketing alterations, the National Police Board said the promotions have “persisted regardless” and that BML still has “significant financial interest” in continuing the activity.
“If BML Group continues to target its marketing of gambling services at mainland Finland despite the prohibition, the National Police Board will take action to enforce the imposed conditional fine,” it said.
The decision comes into effect on June 3, by which time BML Group can appeal.
The prohibition applies to materials on the group’s websites that “directly or indirectly” promote the sale of gambling services in Finland, the regulator said.
The National Police Board has ordered BML to refrain from publishing new material and remove previously published material.
