Finland is preparing for a significant shift in its gambling market, set to liberalize on July 1, 2027. This change will allow licensed private operators to offer online gambling services, marking a departure from the current state-controlled monopoly model.
The National Police Board, tasked with handling licensing, opened applications in March 2026 and has begun announcing approvals for gambling licenses. A continuously updated list of these approved licenses, along with information on the companies holding them, is available below.
Under the current system, Veikkaus, the state-owned operator, maintains exclusive rights over all gambling activities in Finland. With the new regulations coming into effect in 2027, online gambling will become open to competition, though Veikkaus will still hold its monopoly over physical gaming machines, lotteries, and scratch cards.
The regulatory oversight will transfer from the National Police Board to a newly established agency called the Supervisory Agency, which is in the process of being set up.
Finland presents a lucrative opportunity for market entry, as it boasts one of the highest rates of gambling per capita globally. The country also shows political support for liberalizing online gambling, a striking stance against a broader trend of tightening regulations and increasing taxes seen elsewhere in Europe. Industry experts and operators have expressed a positive outlook regarding the forthcoming regulatory changes.
Several major companies are already planning their entries into the Finnish market. For instance, the CEO of Wildz Group indicated intentions to launch 11 brands in Finland and will pursue additional licenses following their first approval in October.
Although Veikkaus holds a monopoly, there exists a notable grey market where operators can legally provide gambling services, provided they do not specifically target Finnish customers.
H2 Gambling Capital estimates Finland's total market Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) to reach €1.9 billion in 2026. Veikkaus reported a GGR of €931 million for 2025, which represents a significant decline from €1.8 billion in 2017. The channelisation rate, which measures the proportion of players using licensed services, currently stands at about 50%, down from around 90% a decade ago, prompting the move towards liberalization.
On the business-to-business (B2B) side, operators will have the flexibility to choose their gambling service providers from launch but must comply with the new Gambling Act. Starting July 1, 2028, B2B providers must obtain a license from the Supervisory Agency to supply services to licensed Finnish operators. The application period for B2B software licenses will commence in July 2027.
