Corporate Political Strategies and Discursive Frames of the Gambling Industry in Finland's Gambling Policy Reform.

Abstract

Aims: Finnish gambling policy, long based on a state-controlled monopoly, is set to shift to a license-based regime in 2027. The study investigates the Corporate Political Activity (CPA) strategies and discursive frames used by gambling industry actors, comparing their application among actors and phases of the legislative process in the context of Finland's gambling policy reform. Methods: In total, 36 formal statements were analyzed, including submissions to the public consultation (n = 19) and parliamentary hearings (n = 17). A deductive content analysis was conducted, based on the previous CPA frameworks. Results: The results indicate that gambling industry actors proposed alternative policies and sought to prevent certain parts of the legislation from being enacted. Discursive framings shifted throughout the legislative process: legal rights dominated consultations, while unintended effects, especially increased unlicensed gambling, became more salient in parliamentary hearings. Clear differences emerged among actors. International actors prioritized policy substitution and framed the proposed legislation as excessive and harmful to their legal rights, whereas the state monopoly operator did not prevent enactment of regulations. A further difference concerned proposals to replace some harm-reduction measures with more restrictive alternatives. Conclusions: The growing influence of the gambling industry may risk deprioritizing the prevention and reduction of gambling harm in future gambling policy.