Getting it right! Launching Finnish Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines

Gambling, like alcohol consumption, is a legal activity that carries a risk of harm. In alcohol use, the risk of harm rises as consumption increases. Similarly, research shows that the risk of gambling-related harm grows as people spend more time and money on gambling. Many jurisdictions promote evidence-based limits for alcohol consumption to reduce risky drinking, but until recently, there were no similar limits for gambling.

The work presented here builds on an international initiative carried out between 2017 and 2021, led by Canadian researchers. Its aim was to develop evidence-based LRGGs to help reduce gambling-related harms (see www.gamblingguidelines.ca). Finnish researchers also contributed to this development phase.

Extending the evidence base

After the LRGGs were published, trends in lower-risk gambling were evaluated among Finnish people. The results showed that lower-risk gambling became more common in Finland between 2011 and 2019. During this period, the proportion of adults gambling within the lower-risk limits increased from 29 per cent to 39 per cent. The increase was observed among both men and women.

Despite this positive development, some groups still appeared to be at higher risk. Adults aged 60–74 and women in the lowest income groups showed patterns suggesting that targeted preventive efforts are still necessary.

Furthermore, the LRGGs were reviewed using two more recent Finnish population-based datasets (2019 and 2023). Based on these analyses, the upper limits for the number of game types and the amount of money spent were partly reduced, while the limit for gambling frequency remained unchanged. Despite these adjustments, the findings from Finnish feasibility studies were acknowledged when implementing the guidelines.

Testing feasibility

Over the past three years, we’ve conducted national feasibility studies to examine how well the LRGGs could work in Finland. The cultural adaptation and evidence base for the Finnish guidelines are described in a recent commentary

The studies gathered insights from people who gamble as well as professionals in prevention and treatment. Results highlighted the importance of clarity, everyday language, and culturally familiar ways of describing income and spending.

This phase also helped answer practical questions: how guidance could be presented in services, how it might support early risk detection, and what kinds of communication tools would be needed for wider public use. Overall, this work helped pave the way for moving from research to implementation.

What are the 2-4-2 guidelines?

The Finnish Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGG-Fin) are summarized in three simple principles: 2-4-2. To reduce the risks, avoid gambling:

• more than 2 per cent of monthly personal net income, and
• on more than 4 days per month, and
• more than 2 types of gambling games.

Some people may be more vulnerable to gambling-related harm. This includes individuals who experience substance use problems, anxiety, depression, or other mental health difficulties, as well as those with a personal or family history of gambling problems. For these groups, it may be sensible to gamble less than the recommended limits – or not at all.

Steps to implementation

Implementation began in 2025 with a focus on turning the guidelines into practical tools and clear communication. The goal was to reach the public with research-based knowledge that is approachable, easy to understand, and relevant to everyday life.

A central component was the development of an interactive self-assessment tool. The tool allows users to reflect on their own gambling behaviour in relation to the guidelines and provides feedback on spending, gambling frequency, and types of games they play.

Alongside the tool, a public health communication campaign was launched. The campaign aimed to explain lower-risk gambling in simple and practical terms.

The implementation process involved close collaboration between researchers and communication professionals. Wording, translations, and messages were tested and refined to ensure clarity, cultural appropriateness, and alignment with the Finnish gambling landscape. Particular attention was paid to how risk is communicated- not only through warnings, but also through guidance that supports reflection and informed decision-making.

Looking ahead

The next step is to evaluate how well the guidelines are known and how they function in practice. This includes examining how people use the self-assessment tool, how the guidance is received by the public, and whether it contributes to greater awareness of gambling-related risks.

Future work will also explore how the guidelines can be integrated into social and health care services, education, and professional practice. For example, they may provide health care, social services, and prevention professionals with a shared framework for conversations about gambling.

The Finnish experience offers one example of how Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines and public-facing tools can be developed step by step, from research collaboration to real-world implementation.

Nordic relevance

Although this work has taken place in Finland, the process is relevant beyond a single national context. Of the eight countries whose datasets were used in developing the Canadian LRGGs, three were Nordic (Finland, Sweden and Iceland). This highlights not only the strong Nordic contribution to the evidence base for the guidelines, but also the relevance of these limits within the region.

Nordic countries share similar welfare systems, prevention traditions, and regulatory approaches. At the same time, they face comparable challenges related to online gambling and changes in the gambling market.

Societal impact

The main contribution of this work is showing how scientific knowledge can be translated into practical prevention.

The introduction of LRGGs is particularly relevant in Finland’s changing regulatory context. In 2027, the country will move from a monopoly system to a partial licensing system for online casinos and betting games. Under the new system, centralised consumption limits for how much a person can spend on gambling will be replaced by operator-based limits. This change means that limits must be set individually by each gambling operator, effectively making the centralised limiting feature redundant.

Licensed gambling operators will also be allowed to advertise their products, which is likely to increase the visibility and availability of gambling games in every-day environments. In this new gambling landscape, it becomes ever-more important for the public to have access to tools and guidelines that help them limit the risk of gambling harm.

While gambling consumption guidelines, such as those adopted in Finland, can help reduce gambling-related harm at the population level, they are not sufficient on their own. Promoting public awareness of gambling risks in a society where the availability and advertising of gambling games are increasing is unlikely to result in reduced harm unless the guidelines are combined with a broader set of prevention and risk-reduction measures.

The LRGGs do not replace regulation; rather they complement it by helping design measures such as mandatory deposit, spending, or loss limits. The assessment of time and money spent on gambling can also be applied to operators’ game and player data, and in contexts where gambling harm or problem measures are not available.

The guidelines can support non-abstinence-based goals in treatment settings and may improve public understanding of gambling- related risks and harms. They also provide a shared point of reference for professionals and the general public, helping everyone speak the same language when it comes to safer gambling practices.

The article is written by:

Sari Castrén

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

Turku University, Social Sciences Department of Psychology, Turku, Finland

Helsinki University, Department of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland

Matthew M. Young

Greo Evidence Insights, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Carleton University, Department of Psychology, Ottawa, Canada

Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

David C. Hodgins

University of Calgary, Canada

Anne H Salonen

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

Virve Marionneau

Helsinki University, Addiction, Control, and Governance (CEACG)

Jukka Kontto

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

Nina Karlsson

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

on request of PopNAD