Veikkaus, Finland's state-owned gaming operator, has appointed Chris Armes as its executive vice president of Gaming Technologies. This announcement, made on Monday, reflects Veikkaus' efforts to adapt to changes in the market resulting from Finland’s evolving gambling industry regulations.
Armes will officially begin his role in autumn 2026 and will oversee the technology division from the company's headquarters in Helsinki.
Olli Sarekoski, president and CEO of Veikkaus, emphasized Armes’ substantial expertise in transforming iGaming technology and managing operations in highly regulated markets as key reasons for his appointment. Sarekoski stated, "Chris Armes’ strong commitment to responsible gaming and security is well aligned with our values," adding that Armes would play a critical role in enhancing Veikkaus' customer experiences and driving technological innovation.
The company is currently focused on modernizing its digital platforms and expanding internationally to remain competitive against emerging private operators amidst regulatory reforms.
Finland is in the process of liberalizing its gambling market, which ends Veikkaus' long-standing monopoly. Already, as of June, 50 operators have applied for licenses, with most being international or foreign gambling companies.
Industry consultant Jari Vähänen, a former senior executive at Veikkaus, estimated that the entire business could be valued at around €4.5 billion ($5.24 billion) post-liberalization.
Armes comes to Veikkaus with a wealth of experience, having previously worked at High5Games as a key figure in technology and operational delivery across both B2B and B2C sectors. His career has also included significant roles at Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) and Scientific Games Digital, where he notably led integration efforts after Scientific Games acquired NYX Gaming Group.
In a statement regarding his new position, Armes expressed excitement about joining Veikkaus, describing it as an ambitious company entering an important new chapter. He looks forward to contributing to Veikkaus' technology-driven growth and to providing "competitive, scalable and safe digital platforms for our players."
As part of the organizational changes following Armes’ appointment, Ari Aarnihuhta, a veteran senior manager at Veikkaus, will move into an executive adviser role. Sarekoski acknowledged Aarnihuhta’s significant contributions to the company in his official remarks.
