Finnish streamer convicted for promoting offshore casinos
A Finnish court convicted streamer Jouko “Pottukoira” Kärkkäinen and fined him about $2,700 after ruling prosecutors did not need to prove he was paid.
The North Savo District Court on June 18 convicted Jouko “Pottukoira” Kärkkäinen, 44, of marketing gambling services outside Finland’s state monopoly. The court imposed an 80 day-fine equal to about €2,480 (roughly $2,700) and added a €90 surcharge.
The court found that between May 2023 and February 2024 Kärkkäinen repeatedly promoted offshore casino operators in Finnish on his website, Instagram and Kick. Judges noted posts that appeared alongside links to those operators, including promotions offering “150 free spins for just €10” next to referral links.
The court ruled prosecutors did not have to show Kärkkäinen received payment or other personal benefit; his intent to promote the operators was sufficient for a conviction.
Kärkkäinen denied wrongdoing in court, arguing his streams were entertainment, were not aimed at Finnish viewers and that he did not control the website carrying the links. The court rejected those defenses.
In 2024 Finland’s National Police Board imposed a conditional fine of about $27,000 on Kärkkäinen for similar conduct, a decision later upheld on appeal. After that administrative ruling he relocated to Estonia and continued to work with foreign operators.
The criminal verdict is not final. An appeal can be filed by July 20; Kärkkäinen has indicated he does not plan to appeal and has publicly laughed off the penalty.
Licensing for operators outside the former Veikkaus monopoly opened in March 2026, and a fully regulated market is scheduled to launch on July 1, 2027. Until the new system is in force, marketing non-Veikkaus operators to Finnish audiences remains illegal.
Regulators in several European countries are tightening rules on gambling advertising. The Netherlands has an advertising ban that coincided with licensed market share falling below half. Lithuania plans a mandatory cross-operator player-card system to take effect in 2029.
The case records a criminal enforcement action against an individual influencer who promoted offshore casinos to domestic audiences.
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