Niko Suhonen

Niko Suhonen is a University Lecturer at the Business School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies of the University of Eastern Finland. His research focuses on microeconomics, applied microeconometrics, and behavioral analysis of risk-taking and gambling activities.

• Research Groups: Applied Business, Law and Economics Research Group (ABLE)
• Projects: 2018–2024 studies on IQ-personality links to risk-taking and skill-based gambling

His work examines gambling behavior through large-scale datasets, including horse racing betting and online poker/casino dynamics. He analyzes how personality traits (e.g., extraversion) and financial indicators (e.g., income elasticity) influence betting intensity and decision-making. Current projects investigate regulatory impacts on mutual fund flows and private equity development in Europe.

Findings include:

• High loan growth correlates with increased acquisition likelihood in Finnish banks
• Inefficiency and low profitability make banks more likely M&A targets
• Non-interest income (e.g., fees) negatively predicts acquisition targets

He contributes to debates on banking sector consolidation and behavioral economic modeling, with methodological expertise in panel data analysis and empirical finance.