Stefan Willin, the Minister for Culture and Sport in Finland, has called on the government to run an online poker service in a bid to encourage players away from foreign sites, according to a report in NewsRoom Finland.
The news service said the minister would use neighbouring Sweden’s state monopoly, Svenska Spel, as a model to provide a state-owned internet gambling operation.
‘It is difficult to halt the rise in the popularity of online poker,” said Willin. “It would be better to offer players a legal and responsible alternative. Responsibility would mean setting an 18 age limit and requiring players to identify themselves.’
Likely candidates to provide the service are Finland’s slot machine association, Raha-Automaattiyhdistys, or lottery and betting monopoly, Veikkaus Oy.
