Games Are All Right, But Advertising Is Not

In October 2010, gambling advertisement became regulated in a new way in Finland.
Before that Finnish and foreign companies could advertise for their games in the
old and new media. The gambling advertisement ban was part of the Lotteries Act
project, which purpose was to update the former Lotteries Act. The ban made the
foreign companies disappear from Finland and free games unavailable
to Finns.

Today the biggest Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat announced that Poker
magazine is no longer available at some kiosks. The magazine allows foreign
companies to advertise for their games. Poker is a glamorous magazine for those
who are interested in poker and desire to become better players. No wonder
that so many young students wish to write a study about poker, playing or
poker players. Poker stars are rich, famous, nice looking and experienced.
Who would not want to be like them?

And yet I was told at the EASG conference in Vienna that the global
poker boom was over. Finns are allowed to play online poker on foreign sites,
but these sites should not have any marketing strategy concerning potential Finnish
clients. The mentioned poker magazine is also online: despite the gambling
advertisement ban, it will continue in its digital form and paper copies will be sent
to the subscribers.

What will happen next? Different companies own kiosks. All these companies should
stop selling poker magazines if they include illegal advertisement. Otherwise we will
have another weird example of the gambling regulation. In some
kiosks it is possible to play on slot machines, which function with tokens. Underage
playing is allowed, because the tokens are not money and they are not
exchanged to coins. And of course, these peculiar slot machines are not for
gambling. I mean that if something is against the law, there should not be
halfway solutions or mixed signals of control.

Advertising is a funny thing. One does not have to be subscriber of a poker
magazine to be exposed to ads and enticing offers. My friend Jenni told the
director of a virtual casino that I would be interested in gambling online. I was
offered a big bonus (200%) at my first deposit. I decided to turn down the
offer, because I don't know this Jenni. But I kept the message, because
advertising is so easy by e-mail... even in Finnish! Perhaps the global
poker boom is over, because of the national gambling
policy decisions, but advertising will continue its course.