A Finnish content creator has been convicted of a gambling offence after promoting offshore casino bonuses to a domestic audience, becoming one of the more notable enforcement cases as Finland transitions away from its long-standing state gambling monopoly.
Jouko Krkkinen also identified online as “pottukoira” was found guilty by the North Savo District Court on June 18 for marketing platforms outside of the national monopoly Veikkaus from May 2023 to February 2024, contravening the Lotteries Act, fined an 80-day rate of €31, or €2,480, and must pay an €80 victim supplement.
It comes after in March 2026 applications for licenses were made to a number of companies set to enter Finland’s online gambling market on July 1, 2027, after a period of reforms.
The Finnish National Police Board continues to apply the current marketing ban on all operators that are not Veikkaus. Krkkinen denied any wrongdoing and claimed his activities were solely to produce content of a recreational nature, not to commercially market any operators or to any audience specific to Finland. The court was unconvinced. Judges pointed to repeated casino promotions posted in Finnish each accompanied by a link to pottukoira.com, a website carrying affiliate links to the casinos in question.
He also claimed he had no control over that website and had been based in Tallinn for part of the period covered by the charge.
Presiding judge Adelina Komulainen was clear on the legal threshold:
Punishing a gambling offence does not require that the defendant be shown to have received consideration or financial benefit from the act. Kärkkäinen’s purpose must be regarded as having been to promote the gambling companies’ business operations.
Kärkkäinen has until July 20 to lodge an appeal.
