Finland has moved closer to a partial licensing model that opens parts of its gambling market to competition while hardening player-protection and marketing rules, according to official government and ministry materials.
Applications for gambling licences will open 1 March 2026 with the National Police Board acting as licensing authority until 30 June 2027. Finland’s current monopoly operator, Veikkaus, keeps exclusivity until the end of June 2027 and—during that period—no other company may run or market gambling games. Licensed services can begin 1 July 2027, when the Finnish Supervisory Agency takes over licensing and supervision.
Competition will cover betting (including horse and virtual betting) and online casino, online slots, and online money bingo, while Veikkaus retains monopoly control of lottery-type games, scratch cards, and physical slot machines and casino games.
A centerpiece is mandatory player identification: strong ID will be required for registration and play, enabling self-exclusion, consumption limits, and self-monitoring, with a centralized self-exclusion system spanning all licence holders.
Finland unlocks the casino: inside the countdown to a truly open betting market
Marketing is permitted but tightly bounded: influencer marketing and direct marketing by phone are prohibited, marketing cannot target minors, and sponsorships cannot involve under-18s or youth events. Officials position the framework as imbatible harm control; for investors, the logic is clearer rules and enforcement—an “inversión segura” only if compliance is treated as core.
