Veikkaus, Finland’s state-owned gambling operator, is preparing to introduce a new consumer brand called Viabet, marking its first venture beyond the Finnish market. This initiative, announced on Thursday, will launch in both Finland and Denmark through a collaboration with Viaplay Denmark and Viaplay Finland.
The rollout of Viabet represents Veikkaus’s first foray into B2C operations outside of Finland's borders. Prior to this, the company had engaged with international markets primarily through its B2B subsidiary, Fennica Gaming, which has been operating since 2022 and focuses on exporting Finnish gaming technology and services to 21 countries.
Viabet is set to officially launch on July 1, 2027, in both countries. Olli Sarekoski, the president and CEO of Veikkaus, regarded the introduction of Viabet as “a significant strategic step” towards the company's international ambitions. He expressed confidence that the partnership with Viaplay would facilitate a “differentiated offering,” enhance competitive positioning in deregulated markets, and lay the groundwork for an internationally scalable consumer business leveraging Finnish expertise.
The collaboration is intended to merge Veikkaus's gaming technology and customer experience with Viaplay’s robust sports content and presence in Scandinavia. Plans include the integration of specific Viaplay media content along with utilizing sports data and analytics to enhance the platform's sports coverage.
Support for the partnership is echoed by Viaplay executives. Lars Bo Jeppesen, CEO of Viaplay Denmark, highlighted Veikkaus’s ambitious drive and expert understanding of the Danish market, emphasizing the importance of responsible gaming in their strategy. “We are delighted that Veikkaus sees Viaplay as the right partner to support those ambitions, recognizing our strong portfolio of live sports and the programming around it, as well as our commercial approach to partnerships,” he stated.
Mikael Svensson, CEO of Viaplay Finland, noted the successful ongoing partnership in Finnish sports production and expressed optimism about the prospects of expanding this collaboration through Viabet. “We are proud to support Veikkaus' ambitions for Viabet with our strong sports portfolio, production expertise, and knowledge of the Finnish market,” Svensson said.
This launch comes amid a period of increasing market liberalization in Finland. Veikkaus's move into consumer products abroad signifies a noteworthy shift from their historically state-controlled monopoly. Jonas Reuter, EVP of international business at Veikkaus, linked the company’s expansion to recent developments in the Finnish money gaming market, describing it as a “significant growth opportunity.” He noted that Viabet aims to convert Veikkaus’s established expertise into a consumer offering that can be expanded in selected international markets.
Finland's market liberalization advanced last week, as the National Police Board disclosed to iGB that twelve companies had been granted licenses. As of October 26, a total of 79 gambling license applications had been submitted with 12 licenses approved and none rejected. Veikkaus itself has applied for a license but was not included among those listed by the regulator. The company is expected to maintain its monopoly over lottery, scratchcards, and land-based gaming machines following the market's opening.
