The Sports Ethical Disciplinary Board (Urheilun eettinen kurinpitolautakunta) handles all safeguarding cases that are regarded as serious. Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS) is the investigation authority in the safeguarding matters. It also has the power to initiate cases in this Board and a professional prosecutor named by the FINCIS prosecutes the cases in the Board. A party that has been subject of the safeguarding issue cannot prosecute by him/herself but can agree with the prosecutor and demand a sanction and produce further evidence to back the case.[1]

The Board is competent to handle and exercise disciplinary authority only in matters referred to in the disciplinary regulations concerning inappropriate behavior in sports and physical activity, as well as in serious ethical violations.[2] It cannot give decisions on possible indemnities regarding safeguarding cases.

The Finnish Sports Arbitration Board (Urheilun oikeusturvalautakunta) is an independent appellate body for all other sports-related decisions and disciplinary sanctions. Despite its designation as an arbitration panel, it basically only works as a disciplinary committee.

The scope of cases the Board can handle is limited in its rules.[3] The board is competent to process the following types of appeals: Appeals on association decisions regarding a) ending an individual’s membership in the association, b) disciplinary procedures, c) limitation of membership rights, or d) whether a decision is in breach of the rules of the association.

The rules of the association above refer to other general regulations on the operations of an association, including disciplinary, competition, and licence regulations, but not the sport-specific rules.

The Board can also handle appeals on the decisions made by the league organizing the competition operations, regarding a) disciplinary actions or b) whether a decision is in breach of rules on competitive operations, excluding the sport-specific rules, but only if the league is committed to the competence of the board.

In addition, the Board handles appeals on decisions regarding whether or not to select an athlete for elite competitions. This has two different criteria; a) if the selection criterion clearly defined by the sport federation, Finnish Paralympic Committee or the Finnish Olympic Committee has not been followed, or  b) if the decision discriminates against an athlete based on gender, age, conviction, opinion, origin, or other reason related to the person without acceptable reason.

It is important to understand that appeals are only processed when all possibilities to appeal required by the rules of the organisation in question and the Finnish anti-doping regulations have been already used.[4]

The Sports Arbitration Board also serves as the first instance of appeal for decisions made by the Sports Ethical Disciplinary Board as it does for decisions made by the FINCIS, based to the Finnish anti-doping code.

Neither of the Boards can handle a matter that has been decided by or is pending in civil court or arbitration.[5]

Both the Sports Ethical Disciplinary Board and the Finnish Sports Arbitration Board have been created by Finland’s sports’ governing bodies, not by the state. Thus, the enforceability of decisions of the both Boards is based only on the parties’ engagement. The sports federations and sports clubs are bound to the jurisdiction of the Arbitration Board through their by-laws and through chaining of rules through membership, from the federation to the individual sport clubs. But, as the decisions of the Arbitration Board or basically only recommendations, as an association may decide not to adhere to the decisions of the Board. This happens every now and then. Usually, the associations do comply with the Board’s decisions.

[1] Sports Ethical Disciplinary Board Rules 10 §

[2] The Rules of the Sports Ethical Disciplinary Board 2 §

[3] The Rules of the Finnish Sports Arbitration Board 2 §

[4] The Sports Arbitration Board Rules 3.3

[5] The Rules of the Finnish Sports Arbitration Board 3 §; The Rules of the Sports Ethical Disciplinary Board 3 §.

There is no Sport law codification as such in the Finnish Legislation.

The Act on the Promotion of Sports and Physical Activity only sets out provisions on the promotion of physical activity and top-level sports; the responsibilities of and co-operation between central and local government; the government administrative bodies; and the funding to be provided by the state in the field of sports and physical activity.[1]

The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the overall management, co-ordination and development of the national sports policy, and for the creation of favorable conditions for engaging in physical activity.[2]

Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS) is a non-profit organisation that receives its primary funding from the Ministry of Education and Culture’s lottery funds. The members of FINCIS are the Finnish Olympic Committee, the Finnish Paralympic Committee, the Finnish Society of Sports Medicine, and the State of Finland, represented by the Ministry of Education and Culture. It’s task is to reinforce an ethically sustainable sports culture. In this capacity it is responsible for doping control and prevention of manipulation of sporting competitions and ensuring spectator safety in Finland. As mentioned above FINCIS is also responsible for investigating serious ethical violations and presenting disciplinary requirements in centralised disciplinary procedures.[3]

[1] Act on the promotion of sports and physical activity (390/2015), section 1.1

[2] Act on the promotion of sports and physical activity (390/2015), section 4.1

[3] https://suek.fi/en/

The marketing of tobacco products, including tobacco sponsorships, is generally prohibited in Finland. Strong alcoholic beverages, defined as those with an alcohol content exceeding 22 percent by volume, have traditionally been subject to a near-total marketing ban. However, following an amendment to the Alcohol Act (589/2026) entered into force on 3 July 2026, strong alcoholic beverages may be marketed online, including on websites and social media. Otherwise, their marketing is permitted only at retail and licensed premises. As sports venues and events are generally public places, strong alcohol brands cannot generally be advertised, for example, on arena boards or players’ clothing during competitions.

Advertising of mild alcoholic beverages is generally permitted, but only under specific and strictly regulated conditions. For example, beer, cider, and long drink brands may appear in sports-related advertising, such as on players’ official uniforms. However, all marketing directed at minors is strictly prohibited. Accordingly, alcohol advertising is not allowed on the apparel or equipment of underage athletes or at competition venues or events primarily intended for minors.

Finland’s gambling system is currently based on the Lotteries Act (1047/2001), which grants an exclusive right to Veikkaus Oy, a state-owned company. Veikkaus’ brand visibility appears, for example, on sports uniforms, arenas, and TV broadcasts. There are several restrictions on gambling advertising. For example, gambling advertising may not promote gambling that causes financial, social, or health-related harm, nor may it be targeted at minors or otherwise vulnerable individuals. Only Veikkaus may market gambling in mainland Finland, and compliance is strictly monitored.

The prohibition also applies to private individuals. The National Police Board has actively intervened in gambling marketing by social media influencers and streamers, including marketing carried out from abroad but directed at mainland Finland.^[1] It has issued marketing bans reinforced with conditional fines of around EUR 30,000^[2] and ordered the fines to be paid where marketing has continued, and the Helsinki Administrative Court has upheld such bans.^[3] Unlawful gambling marketing may also constitute a gambling offence under the Criminal Code; in June 2026, a well-known streamer was sentenced to day-fines for marketing foreign online casinos (not yet final).^[4]

The gambling system is, however, changing, as Finland’s gambling system is being reformed by opening it to competition under a licensing model. The market for online betting and casino games will open to licensed operators on 1 July 2027 under the new Gambling Act (10/2026). The Act permits gambling marketing only if it is moderate and uses the channels expressly listed in the Act, which include sports events. As influencer and affiliate marketing are not among these channels, they are prohibited. Sponsorship may not promote the operator’s gambling products and no sponsorship agreement may be concluded with minors or concerning youth events, competitions or leagues.

The upcoming market opening is already reshaping sports sponsorship in Finland. Veikkaus has strengthened its position in sport, for example through a ten-year naming rights agreement for the Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki^[5] and a partnership with the ice hockey club Jokerit until 2031.^[6] At the same time, it has been reported in the Finnish press that the agreement between Veikkaus and the Finnish Football League, whose top division Veikkausliiga has carried Veikkaus’ name since 1992, will end after the current season and that the name of the league will change during 2027.^[7] Until 30 June 2027, however, the brand of any gambling operator other than Veikkaus cannot appear in sports sponsorship, as this would constitute marketing prohibited under the Lotteries Act.

[1] National Police Board, “The National Police Board intervened again in the unlawful marketing of gambling by social media influencers”, press release, 3 September 2025, https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/25235045/the-national-police-board-intervened-again-in-the-unlawful-marketing-of-gambling-by-social-media-influencers

[2] National Police Board, “Poliisihallitus kielsi sosiaalisen median vaikuttajien lainvastaisen rahapelien markkinoinnin”, press release, 2024, https://poliisi.fi/-/poliisihallitus-kielsi-sosiaalisen-median-vaikuttajien-lainvastaisen-rahapelien-markkinoinnin

[3] Helsinki Administrative Court, decision of 14 May 2025, as reported in Länsiväylä, https://www.lansivayla.fi/paikalliset/8520916

[4] North Savo District Court, judgment of 18 June 2026 (not final), as reported by Yle, https://yle.fi/a/74-20229893

[5] Yle, “Helsinki’s once-defunct venue renamed ‘Veikkaus Arena'”, 2 July 2025, https://yle.fi/a/74-20170687

[6] European Gaming, “Veikkaus enters into long-term partnership with Jokerit”, 2 June 2025, https://europeangaming.eu/portal/latest-news/2025/06/02/183740/veikkaus-enters-into-long-term-partnership-with-jokerit/

[7] Ilta-Sanomat, “Nyt jysähti: Veikkausliigan nimi vaihtuu – historiallisen muutoksen taustalla uusi kumppanuusdiili”, 28 August 2026, https://www.is.fi/jalkapallo/art-2000012236357.html

Finland played a key role in the creation of the Macolin Convention and was among the first countries to sign it in 2014. In line with the Convention, the Ministry of Education and Culture has set up a national platform against competition manipulation. Preparations for ratification began in April 2025. In June 2026, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Education and Culture commissioned a study on criminal-law means of combating manipulation, including whether the bribery and fraud provisions of the Criminal Code are adequate. The Convention requires that manipulation-related offences are criminally sanctionable. Within sport, suspected manipulation is investigated by FINCIS and sanctioned under the joint disciplinary system in force since 1 July 2026 (see Questions 5 and 6), and betting monitoring by Veikkaus has in practice played an important role in detecting suspicious betting (see Question 13).

The landscape of sports betting in Finland is shifting, heralding a new era of change. At the moment, the sports betting industry works under Veikkaus Oy, company owned by the State. Veikkaus’s monopoly has traditionally been justified on the grounds of preventing gambling-related harm, protecting vulnerable players, ensuring state control over gambling revenues, and channeling those revenues back to society, for example to support sports, culture, science, and social welfare. In public debate, Veikkaus’s monopoly position has also faced comprehensive criticism.

The new Gambling Act (10/2026) was confirmed on 16 January 2026. Operators have been able to apply for licences from the National Police Board since 1 March 2026. Veikkaus’ exclusive right to betting, online casino games and online bingo continues until 30 June 2027, and the licensed market opens on 1 July 2027. On that date, supervision transfers from the National Police Board to the new Finnish Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto). Veikkaus will retain its monopoly on lotteries, scratch cards and physical slot machines as well as land-based casino games.

The new Gambling Act introduces a range of tools to prevent, detect and respond to competition manipulation and other misconduct in betting. Applicants for a gambling licence must already at the application stage set out their procedures for detecting, preventing and reporting competition manipulation. Betting is prohibited on competitions in which the majority of participants are under 18, as well as on breaches of competition rules and the resulting penalties, such as yellow or red cards. Licensees must immediately suspend betting and notify the supervisory authority if they detect irregular or suspicious betting, and they must report annually on suspicious betting and on their anti-manipulation measures. Players must also be provided with a clear procedure for reporting suspected misconduct. In addition, gambling operators must comply with anti-money laundering legislation. From 1 July 2027, the Finnish Supervisory Agency will be responsible for licensing and supervising the market.

As already mentioned above, the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS) is an independent, non-profit organisation whose statutory mission is to promote ethically sustainable sport in Finland. FINCIS functions as the official national body for ethical oversight in sport, safeguarding the equal right of all individuals to participate in sport in accordance with the principles of fairness, integrity, and equality.

The activities of FINCIS cover several areas, including anti-doping operations, the prevention of competition manipulation, the promotion of spectator safety and comfort, as well as broader ethical issues in sport. In fulfilling its mandate, FINCIS cooperates closely with sports organisations, public authorities and other relevant stakeholders.

FINCIS conducts inquiries and investigations into suspected anti-doping rule violations as well as other breaches of ethical conduct in sport. In its operations, FINCIS applies the Finnish Anti-Doping Code, which complies with the World Anti-Doping Code and has been approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). From the beginning of 2027, a new Finnish Anti-Doping Code will enter into force, based on the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code.

In May 2026, the Finnish Olympic Committee approved new disciplinary regulations on competition manipulation, which entered into force on 1 July 2026. The regulations establish a joint disciplinary system independent of the sports federations, which are encouraged to join it.[1] Under the system, FINCIS investigates suspected competition manipulation and presents the disciplinary claims.[2]

[1] Finnish Olympic Committee, “The Olympic Committee’s spring meeting approved the annual report and adopted amendments to the bylaws”, https://www.olympiakomitea.fi/en/current/news/the-olympic-committees-spring-meeting-approved-the-annual-report-and-adopted-amendments-to-the-bylaws/

[2] FINCIS Newsletter SUEK viestii 2/2026 (June 2026).

In Finland, corruption in sport is addressed through a combination of general criminal law and sport-specific oversight. There is no separate criminal offence of match-fixing or sports corruption. Instead, such conduct is assessed under the general provisions of the Criminal Code, which apply equally to acts between private individuals and within organisations. The most relevant provisions are bribery in business and acceptance of a bribe in business (Chapter 30, sections 7–8a) and fraud (Chapter 36).

In the best-known Finnish case, concerning the manipulation of Veikkausliiga matches in 2008–2011, the Lapland District Court sentenced the organiser to two years’ imprisonment for bribery and nine players to suspended prison sentences. Betting-related manipulation may also constitute fraud against the betting operator or other bettors. Whether these general provisions adequately cover all forms of competition manipulation has been debated. In June 2026, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Education and Culture therefore commissioned a study assessing, among other things, whether the Criminal Code’s bribery and fraud provisions are up to date in this respect.[1] Anyone who causes damage through corrupt conduct may also be held liable for it under the general rules of tort law.

Complementing the legal framework, FINCIS plays a key role in safeguarding the integrity of sport. FINCIS coordinates the Fair Play programme (Reilun kilpailun ohjelma) as part of the broader responsibility framework of the Finnish sports community. It has developed a set of programme criteria that guide sports organisations in designing and implementing their own measures against competition manipulation. The framework provides practical tools and standards to uphold integrity and fair competition at all levels of sport.

Since 1 July 2026, sport-specific sanctions have been imposed under the joint disciplinary system established by the Finnish Olympic Committee’s new disciplinary regulations on competition manipulation (see Question 5). Under this system, FINCIS investigates suspected cases and presents disciplinary claims, while the decisions on sanctions are made by an independent disciplinary body. FINCIS also cooperates with the police and the gambling authorities, providing the authorities with support in combating crime related to competition manipulation.

[1] https://valtioneuvosto.fi/-/1410853/rikosoikeudellisia-keinoja-urheilukilpailujen-manipulaation-torjuntaan-selvitetaan

Although Finns are often known for their calm and reserved nature, recent years have revealed occasional flashes of hooliganism within fan culture, particularly in the realm of football.

Finland is a party to the Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events (the Saint-Denis Convention), which entered into force for Finland on 1 March 2022. However, Finland has no specific legislation on fan behaviour in sporting events. It is regulated through general criminal law, including specific measures targeting violence and disorder. The Finnish Criminal Code criminalises, for example, acts such as assault, public disorder and resistance to a person maintaining public order, which can be applied to incidents occurring at sports events.

From a criminal law perspective, it is likely nearly impossible – and at the very least unnecessary – to tailor legislation to specific types of events or particular groups of people. Criminal law must be capable of addressing the challenges associated with sports fan culture through general provisions.

At major sporting events, the presence of security personnel is naturally complemented by the police, who have broader powers regulated under the Police Act to intervene in cases of public disorder.

Finland currently has no statutory system of stadium banning orders. A study commissioned by the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS) concluded in 2022 that current legislation does not allow organisers to exclude persistent troublemakers from future events, although there is no legal obstacle to introducing such a system by legislation. The current Government Programme includes a general commitment to promote spectator safety at events, but no legislative proposal on banning orders has been presented to date. In 2025, the Minister of the Interior stated that ways of implementing this commitment were still being assessed and that any need for legislative changes would be evaluated during the current government term.

Sports federations might also have the authority to hold clubs accountable for their fans’ behaviour. For instance, in 2024, the Football Association of Finland (Suomen Palloliitto) fined HJK, a Veikkausliiga club, a total of €19,900 due to disruptive conduct by their supporters. On top of the financial penalty, HJK was required to play the first two matches of the following season with the end stands closed.

In Finland, the organisation of sports activities is primarily grounded in the principle of autonomy of non-profit registered associations. Accordingly, sports clubs and federations have independent authority to determine their governance structures and operational matters, provided these are conducted in accordance with their registered statutes.

Finland does not have a specific act dedicated exclusively to sports clubs. Nevertheless, the provisions of the Finnish Associations Act (503/1989) apply in certain circumstances, establishing the legal framework for the activities of an association, including matters such as decision-making processes, membership, and participation rights. In practice, it is also customary for limited liability companies to be established to manage sporting operations. This practice is particularly common in disciplines such as ice hockey and football. In such cases, the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act (624/2006) governs the organisation’s activities, providing the statutory framework and setting out the rights and obligations of shareholders, directors, and other stakeholders.

Finnish law imposes no specific restrictions on foreign ownership in sports clubs, nor does it prescribe any statutory model of fan ownership. Professional leagues, however, operate under a licensing regime. Clubs are required to obtain a licence, which is issued subject to compliance with the financial, administrative, and sporting criteria established by the relevant sports federation or league organisation. The federations and/or league authorities exercise supervisory powers to ensure ongoing compliance with these licensing conditions. In addition, football clubs participating or seeking to participate in UEFA club competitions are subject to UEFA’s club licensing regulations and its rules on multiclub ownership.

The sports market in Finland is very limited compared with many other European countries. Spectator averages in all the top national leagues are low, and only ice hockey and football occasionally attract more than 10,000 spectators. Many sports are in a position where they have to pay the broadcasting company to obtain TV coverage.

Most sports clubs in Finland are non-profit associations. In team sports such as football, ice hockey, basketball and volleyball, however, many of the teams in the top leagues are run by limited liability companies. These companies usually share the name, logo and identity of the association. Often the association has decided to separate its top team from its junior and other teams in order to achieve greater financial stability. The right to play in the league nevertheless remains with the association, which in practice only lends this right to the company. This model, which is not recognised by the FIFA rules, for example, has led to some unwanted situations when such companies have faced bankruptcy.

Against this background, multi-sport ownership has so far been rare in Finland, but a first clear example has recently emerged. In early 2025, the Veikkausliiga football club AC Oulu took over a local top-level basketball team (Oulun NMKY) and a volleyball team (Oulun Kisko), with the stated aim of building a multi-sport club competing at the top level in all three sports.[1] AC Oulu is majority-owned by a local investor through an investment company. This illustrates that multi-sport structures in Finland are, at least for now, driven by domestic private investors rather than by international ownership groups.

Foreign investors have shown only limited interest in Finnish sports clubs, and the few attempts have been of mixed success. In 2019, a Chinese investor acquired a majority stake in HIFK Fotboll Ab, the company operating the first team of the Helsinki football club HIFK. The foreign owner later withdrew, and after the 2023 season the company filed for bankruptcy. The club’s first team continued under the parent association in the fifth tier, illustrating the risks of the association–company model described above.[2] A more high-profile case arose in basketball. In August 2024, the Korisliiga club Helsinki Seagulls announced that the Lithuanian Basketball Holding Company (BHC), acting together with an investment group backed by capital from the United Arab Emirates, would acquire a stake in the club through a directed share issue. The partnership aimed to take the club to the EuroLeague in the long term.[3] The stake was initially to be 10 per cent, with the intention of increasing it significantly. The transaction attracted public attention after Finnish media reported that the new owner’s company had been assessed as a threat to national security in Lithuania. The deal was never completed and eventually collapsed in 2025. As a result, the club’s long-standing owners stepped aside, and the club’s place in the league was temporarily in doubt.[4] The case illustrates both the financial fragility of Finnish top-level clubs and the fact that Finnish law provides no sport-specific mechanism for screening prospective foreign owners (see Question 8). The opening of the Finnish gambling market to licensed operators on 1 July 2027 is expected to bring new sponsorship revenue into Finnish sport, which may in turn increase the attractiveness of Finnish clubs to investors (see Question 14).

[1] Kaleva, “Ouluun syntyy kolmen palloilulajin suurseura – AC Oulu tavoittelee liigamenestystä jokaisessa”, 12 February 2025, https://www.kaleva.fi/ouluun-syntyy-kolmen-palloilulajin-suurseura-ac-ou/11515228

[2] HIFK Fotboll, “Information regarding share issue”, May 2019, https://hifkfotboll.fi/2019/05/information-regarding-share-issue-in-english/

[3] MTV Uutiset, “Helsinkiläisseuralta yllätysuutinen: myy omistustaan Liettuaan”, August 2024, https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/helsinkilaisseuralta-yllatysuutinen-myy-omistustaan-liettuaan-taustalla-suuret-suunnitelmat/8990606

[4] https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/seurapomo-avasi-helsinki-seagullsin-karua-kohtaloa-henrik-dettmannilta-painava-puheenvuoro-ihan-metsakansan-touhua/9167954

There are no mandatory national provisions that would regulate athlete representation in Finland.

Act on Commercial Representatives and Salesmen concerns entrepreneurs who, in a representation contract concluded with another, the principal, have undertaken continuously to promote the sale or purchase of goods on behalf of the principal by obtaining offers for the principal or by concluding sales or purchase contracts in the name of the principal.[1] The act does not apply to the athletes representation.

[1] Act on Commercial Representatives and Salesmen, Section 1

There are no statutory frameworks concerning transgender athletes in sport in Finland.

The sporting movement in Finland enjoys wide autonomy. Issues regarding transgender athletes are therefore left to the hands of the sporting movement.

The Act on Legal Gender Recognition regulates, as its name suggests, the legal confirmation of gender. Legal gender recognition alone is not a sufficient basis for obtaining the right to compete in a sports category other than the one corresponding to one’s sex assigned at birth. Sports organisations must establish rules and criteria that define and determine eligibility for participation in gender-based competition categories.

The Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL) acts as the umbrella organisation for Finnish competitive electronic gaming. SEUL represents Finland in the International Esports Federation (IESF).

A club or other legal entity operating as a registered association may be admitted to membership in the federation by a decision of the board. SEUL is a member of the Finnish Olympic Committee, and it receives financial support from the Ministry of Education and Culture as any other sport federation. SEUL has commited itself to the WADA Code.

The ice-hockey related case Oscar Hemming v. Kiekko-Espoo, could have major effects on Finnish junior sports.

Hemming’s mother terminated her son’s (at the time 16 years of age) player contract with Kiekko-Espoo, citing legislation regarding young workers, as the player wished to move abroad (initially to the OHL, a Canadian junior league). In the club’s and the International Ice-Hockey Federation’s view the termination was unlawful.

Hemming filed a lawsuit in November 2025 demanding that Kiekko-Espoo consent to an international transfer. The case is rationalized among other things by CJEU’s Diarra decision. Case is now pending in a district court.

The case could influence whether an employment contract involving a minor can be terminated on similar grounds and how club systems for development and transfer fees will operate in the future.

It is not a sports law topic as such, but the effects of opening the gaming monopoly in Finland will have huge financial impacts to sports in Finland. This will mean major changes in the financial support by the government to the sports movement. On the other hand, the change will open the sponsorship market.[1]

Another ongoing discussion and/or dispute regards referees and umpires. Are referees and umpires in an employment relationship and if they are, to whom? In many sports referees and umpires have their own associations that organize and schedule the games that need to be refereed or umpired. The payments to them on other hand come from the clubs and federations. So far they have not been regarded as employees, but if that was to change it would have massive financial effect to every team sport in Finland.

[1] See para 4.