Veikkaus, the Finnish lottery operator, recently announced that a significant number of their employees will lose their jobs. Approximately 185-215 out of their 825 employees will be affected, and about 110-150 workers will face changes in their employment terms. In addition to these lay-offs, Casino Tampere will be closing its doors on 9th December, less than two years after it opened. Furthermore, after discussions with staff representatives, 19 other gaming arcades will shut down on 22nd December.
To streamline their operations, Veikkaus will be divided into three units, each led by a senior vice-president. Nora Vähävirta, the current chief operating officer of business operations, will oversee domestic games of chance, slot machines, and arcades. Jarkko Nordlund, who joined Veikkaus in September as the executive director, will be responsible for domestic online casino and betting operations. Jonas Reuter, a former executive from IGT and Scientific Games, has been hired as the head of Veikkaus’ international business.
The job cuts at Veikkaus are not as severe as initially predicted. At the start of the restructuring talks in September, Veikkaus estimated that up to 240 jobs could be eliminated, with anticipated employment changes for an additional 195 employees. However, after constructive dialogue with personnel representatives, the final numbers turned out to be smaller. Heli Lallukka, the executive vice-president of human resources, emphasized the need for outside expertise, stating that the company would be making significant investments to strengthen its competitiveness.
The exact dates for the employment changes will be determined by the end of the year. Casino Tampere, which currently employs around 80 staff members, will be closed. Additionally, various gaming venues operated by Veikkaus under the Playhouse and Veikkaus brands will shut down. These venues include Joensuu Siltakatu, Helsinki Redi, Lappeenranta IsoKristiina, Espoo Ainoa, Pori Puuvilla, Playhouse Lahti Trio, Lempäälä Ideapark, Imatra Mansikkala, Helsinki Kaisaniemi, Hämeenlinna Goodman, Mikkeli Akseli, Turku Skanssi, Lappeenranta Leiri, Turku Aurakatu, Kuopio Kästyökatu, Helsinki Tripla, Pelaamo Seinäjoki Ideapark, Oulu Kauppurienkatu, and Game Room at Tornio Raja.
The Finnish government plans to end Veikkaus’ gambling monopoly by 2026 in order to reduce the financial and social harms associated with gambling. This change is part of wider reforms that aim to direct more consumers to licensed operators. Currently, about 50% of gaming activity in Finland takes place on unlicensed platforms. The proposed system will allow private companies to apply for licenses to operate sports betting and online casinos, while Veikkaus will retain its monopoly for lotteries and retail slot machines. As part of these reforms, Veikkaus will be split into separate companies under the same group, reversing the merger that took place in 2017.
