JULY 1, 2010 • The Finnish government ruled that every citizen has the right to access to a 1Mbps (megabit per second) broadband connection. Which means starting July 1 all of the nation’s telecommunications companies are obligated to provide all residents with broadband lines that can run at a minimum 1Mbps speed. In real terms, it is estimated that 96% of the population is already connected to the Internet, and only 4,000 homes still need connecting to comply with the law.

Impact: Scandinavian countries, due to their extreme northern latitudes and small relative geographic sizes, have been home to large per capita gaming populations simply because they are colder and darker for longer during the winter, forcing citizens to do more inside.  Because of its stickiness, gaming as a leisure activity has been strong there for years and broadband has been critical in helping its growth.