(commonly abbreviated Paf) is a government-owned gambling operator in the autonomous Finnish region of Åland. Established in 1966, it has legal authority under Åland’s gambling framework to provide gambling on the islands, online, and on passenger vessels operating from the region.
Paf’s operations include online gambling, gambling on board passenger ships in the Baltic Sea and surrounding Nordic sea routes, and land-based gaming such as slot machines on Åland.
History Paf was founded in 1966 by a group of non-profit organisations in Åland, including , (Save the Children), the (Finnish Red Cross), and the foundation.
The company began operating on Åland-registered ferries in the early 1970s, and launched its first online games in 1999.
In 2015, Paf and Sunborn Hotel opened Casino Sunborn in Gibraltar. The casino was sold to Admiral in 2018.
In 2021, the Supreme Court of Finland sentenced Paf to a community fine of €250,000 in a case concerning negligent money laundering.
In 2024, Paf announced a commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, a target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Markets and brands
Paf conducts licensed gaming operations in several European markets through a portfolio of consumer brands that varies by country. Its core brands include Paf.com, Paf.se, Paf.es and Paf.ee. In Sweden, the company also operates SpeedyBet.com, SpeedyCasino.com, X3000.com, GoldenBull.se, 1x2.se and CasinoEpic.se. In Spain, it operates GoldenBull.es, SpeedyBet.es and PiñataCasino.es, while in Latvia it operates 11.lv, PafBet.lv and X3000.lv.
In addition to its consumer brands, Paf provides the gaming platform for mycasino.ch in Switzerland through a partnership with Grand Casino Luzern. In 2025, mycasino.ch was the market leader in Switzerland's online casino market and reported gross gaming revenue of CHF 95.4 million.
Distribution of surplus
Paf's surplus is distributed by the Government of Åland and an independent allocation council to public-benefit associations, organisations and charitable causes. Since Paf was founded in 1966, more than €527.9 million has been distributed through this system."Paf Contributes More Than Half a Billion Euros for Benefit of Society Since its Foundation in 1966". EEGaming. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026."Paf passes societal contributions milestone amid record profits". Intergame Online. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
One example of the surplus distribution took place in 2024, when the Government of Åland allocated €3 million from Paf's surplus to the Olena Zelenska Foundation. The funding was intended to restore and equip school shelters in Ukraine."Inget krav på Ålandsbesök av Zelenska". Ålandstidningen. 21 March 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2026. Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska visited Åland on 20 March 2025 in connection with the donation."Ukrainas första dam Olena Zelenska besökte Ålands lagting". Ålands lagting. 21 March 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
Responsible gambling initiatives In 2018, Paf became the first international gaming company to introduce a mandatory annual loss limit, initially set at €30,000 per customer."Paf.com First International Gambling Company to Introduce Loss Limit". PRNewswire. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2026. The limit has been progressively lowered since then. As of 2026, the limit stands at €15,000 per year for customers aged 25 and over, €6,000 for those aged 20–24, and €1,800 for customers aged 18–19 – representing a 50% reduction from the original cap."Paf reduces loss limit again amid Finnish regulatory changes". SBC News. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026. Paf has stated a long-term ambition to lower the limit further to €8,000 per year."Paf targets €8,000 annual player loss limit after latest reduction". iGaming Business. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
Awards and recognition 2014 – Social Responsibility Award, eGaming Review Operator Awards. 2017 – Social Responsibility Award, eGaming Review Nordic Awards. 2018 – Best Marketing Campaign, eGaming Review Nordics Awards. 2018 – Named one of Finland's 40 most inspiring workplaces by consulting firm Corporate Spirit Ltd. References
External links Official website Corporate website Annual Report 2017