Gambling operations, including the casino activities, as well as the relevant rights, obligations, and restrictions, are subject to provisions laid down by the Lotteries Act. The rules of the slot machines and the casino games are laid down by a decree of the Ministry of the Interior. Customer due diligence is regulated by the Act on Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The National Police Board oversees the supervision of the casino activities. By virtue of section 51 of the Lotteries Act, the casinos have the right to keep a register of personal data, including photos of the casino customers, in order to supervise the gambling activities.
The purpose of these general instructions concerning casinos is to inform the customers about the provisions affecting their position as laid down by the Lotteries Act and the Act on Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The objective of both these instructions and the rules of the games is to help maintain the compliance of the gambling activities with the rules, ensure safety, public order, and peaceful gambling.
The general instructions concerning casinos are available at the casino reception, and the rules of the games are provided on request. The rules of individual games are available at the game table in question, or in its immediate vicinity. The poker room has its own specific rules. Any cash or unclaimed tickets found on the premises of the casino are treated as property found in a public place in accordance with section 5 of the Act on Lost Property, and they shall be returned to the staff, irrespective of their value.
Customer accounts
The casino has a statutory obligation to identify and know their customers. We will always check your identity upon check-in, so please keep a valid identity document with you. On their first visit to the casino, the customer’s data are entered into the casino register. A visual image of the customer is attached to the customer data. Whilst registering themselves as customers of the casino, the customers commit to complying with the general provisions on gambling activities, the rules and instructions of the casino games, and the general instructions concerning casinos. The casino premises are under recording camera surveillance. The casino operator has the right to keep a filing system of personal data under section 51 of the Lotteries Act, and the duty to maintain an anti-money laundering and customer due diligence register in accordance with the Act on Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The privacy policy statements of these registers are available for viewing at the casino reception.
The casino has the right to prohibit a person from entering the casino or restrict their gambling by virtue of section 15 of the Lotteries Act. For example, a situation where a player has taken on debt to finance his play may lead to such actions. A customer’s failure to comply with the casino rules or instructions, or the instructions issued by the staff, may lead to the removal of the customer from the casino premises and the cancellation of their customer account. In addition, the casino has the duty to restrict a person’s customer account or terminate it, if the casino is unable to carry out the duties based on their customer due diligence obligation.
The casino has the right to rectify a typographical, calculatory, or other equivalent technical error in a monetary transaction, which it has made, even if the amount had already been given to the customer. The customer is under obligation, on the casino’s request, to return the funds based on undue advantage which they have received gratuitously. Customers shall be dressed neatly and in a manner that is appropriate for the casino environment.
Gambling
The seats at the game tables and slot machines are reserved for players. To play, customers must have a casino card, which is always personal.
It is forbidden to
• use any technological aids whilst playing, including a calculator or a computer, or equivalent;
• make any notes related to the game at a card game table, with the exception of Punto Banco, where players can keep track of the winning hands (“punto”, “banco” or “egalite”);
• take photos or make any other visual or audio recordings; or
• use one’s mobile phone or other devices for remote communication at the game tables.
Gambling at the casino is personal. The customers are responsible for their own gambling, their bets, investments, and game reservations, as well as the funds they use on them. In the case of a potential failure in a slot machine or the interruption of a slot machine draw for another unexpected reason, the customers are remunerated for the winnings they have accumulated and the game reservations, up to the time of the interruption, to the extent to which they can be uncontestably verified. In the event of a dispute at a game table, the table supervisor solves the situation. In challenging situations, the casino shift manager evaluates the matter and makes the decisions. Players are entitled to request a recommended decision from the National Police Board on disputes between the casino and the player concerning payouts.
The casinos support responsible gambling. When a casino customer wishes to limit their gambling, they can contact the shift manager and ask the casino operator to prohibit them from entering the casino or to limit the number of their visits. The bans or restrictions are valid for a minimum of one month and a maximum of indefinitely. The lifting of the current ban can be requested at the earliest after one year, and the lifting can be carried out after 3 months of the request if there are no grounds for extending it.
Helsinki 31 January 2023
Tiina Siltanen
General Manager, Casino Helsinki
