Finland wants affiliates ban – experts predict illegal gambling chaos
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27 Mar 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes Finland wants to ban affiliate marketing in their new online gambling legislation. According to the Finnish government, affiliate marketing carries risks. They cite misinformation, unclear boundaries between legal and illegal providers, and the lack of consumer protection. They also see tax avoidance as a problem because many affiliates are based outside Finland.
But Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates (QMRA) is sounding the alarm. They argue that such a ban is counterproductive. In a new report, they point to the risk that illegal gambling companies would then be given free rein in Google and other search engines.
The report draws clear lessons from the Netherlands, where online gambling has been regulated since 2021. There, it shows what happens when legal affiliates are restricted. The empty space in search results is rapidly filled by illegal providers.
The Netherlands shows what can go wrong without regulated affiliates
In the Netherlands, illegal gambling sites cleverly used SEO and Google Ads. They attracted vulnerable players. Research by the Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA) shows that these sites often target young people and players who had just excluded themselves.
These illegal platforms ignore age verification rules. They offer no tools to play responsibly. Yet they are at the top of search results. Why? Because regulated affiliates are stopped or disappear.
Steven Vrolijk, director of QMRA, said:
‘We have seen in the Netherlands how quickly illegal providers adapt. Responsible affiliates are needed precisely to stop them. SEO affiliates only show up when someone searches on gambling. If you take those away, only illegal offerings remain.’
Illegal sites are dangerous and target the wrong people
The report, which can be found here, lists some clear risks of an affiliate ban.
Players mainly find illegal sites because there is no longer regulated competition. Those sites do not offer help with gambling problems. They do not check ages. They accept crypto currencies and other anonymous payment methods. They often target young people, vulnerable people and former addicts.
Instead of a total ban, QMRA suggests that Finland should set up a strict but clear affiliate regulation system. This would give protection as well as control, without shutting down the entire channel.