Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, decentralized slot machines and gambling arcades were shut down in Finland. This blog post examines the impact of the closures on many stakeholders. This includes gamblers, significant others, the main gambling operator, and the Finnish state. Findings noted in the post include:
- Recreational gamblers reduced their gambling and money spent on gambling
- There was not a major move from land-based to online gambling
- At-risk and problem gamblers were relieved by the closure of decentralized slot machines
- Many would like decentralized slow machines to remain closed after the pandemic
The blog post concludes that Finland has a strong gambling culture. Yet, the closures show that attitudes to gambling shifted and could affect policy.
