Helsinki, October 28, 2026. Finland has granted its first 12 online gambling licenses ahead of the competitive market opening on July 1, 2027, ending Veikkaus' digital monopoly. The National Police Board (Poliisihallitus) confirmed 79 applications, 12 approvals, 67 pending applications, and no rejections as of October 26.
The first license holders are Hippos ATG Oy, Sunflower Gaming Limited, Granturo Finland Ltd, Skill On Net Ltd, SuomiVeto Oy, Cloudberry Ent Limited, SixthSpin Limited, KuuFlip Limited, RocketLily Ent Limited, Nivei Ursi Limited, YTBlue Limited, and Buccone Trading Limited.
Mari Rantanen
The licensed groups include Wildz Group, led by Sam Brown; Hippos ATG, headed by Mikael Bäcke, a partnership between Sweden's ATG and Suomen Hippos; and SkillOnNet, operator of brands including PlayOJO. Wildz announced its authorization on October 15, Hippos ATG on October 19, and ComeOn Group, affiliated with European Entertainment Group, on October 22, under the executive leadership of Itai Frieberger and financial leadership of Raffaele Amodio.
Petteri Orpo
The reform, approved by Parliament on December 16, 2025, and enacted through Gambling Act 10/2026, will introduce competition in sports betting, online casinos, online slots, and online bingo. Veikkaus will retain traditional lotteries and certain land-based gambling operations. Applications opened on March 1, 2026. Each application carries a €29,000 processing fee, with licenses valid for up to five years. Technology providers will require specific licenses beginning in July 2028.
Ilkka Koskimäki
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government, through the Ministry of the Interior, headed by Mari Rantanen, is introducing identity verification, self-exclusion, advertising restrictions, and protections for individuals under 18 years of age. Regulatory oversight will transfer from Poliisihallitus, led by Ilkka Koskimäki, to the Finnish Supervisory Agency in July 2027.
The market could reach €1.9 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2026, with 81% generated digitally, according to industry estimates. The specific gambling tax would increase from 12% to 22%. Veikkaus, led by President and CEO Olli Sarekoski, reported €936.3 million in revenue in 2025 and is still awaiting its competitive market authorization.
