Northern Europe is entering into one of the most significant gambling transitions in its modern history as regulators, operators and policymakers move simultaneously to redesign licensing frameworks, tighten compliance standards and redefine how players are channeled into regulated markets. The shift became visible on June 1, 2026, when industry leaders confirmed the launch of Gaming in the Nordics, a new regulatory and business platform headquartered in Copenhagen, while Finland’s gambling reform continued to generate controversy over its decision to exclude cryptocurrency payments from the future licensed market.
Anders Dorph
The first Gaming in the Nordics conference will take place on June 18, 2026, at Better Collective HQ in Copenhagen and will bring together regulators, operators and trade associations from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The keynote speaker will be Anders Dorph, director of the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden) since 2020 and current chairman of the Gaming Regulators’ European Forum (GREF). The event reflects Denmark’s growing role as a regional regulatory benchmark as Nordic markets face simultaneous reform, stricter enforcement and rising channelization challenges.
The speaker lineup includes Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson; Jesper Søgaard, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Collective; Morten Ronde, CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association (DOGA); Fredrik Stenstrøm, secretary general of the Norway Association for Online Gaming (NBO); Pekka Ilmivalta of Nordic Legal Finland; former Danish regulator Birgitte Sand; Josh Hodgson, COO of H2 Gambling Capital; and Peter-Paul de Goeij of QuodBonum.se. Organizer Willem van Oort said the initiative seeks to create direct dialogue among Nordic jurisdictions facing different regulatory realities.
Finland represents the most closely watched case. The country approved its new Gambling Act on December 16, 2025, with presidential approval following on January 16, 2026. The reform partially dismantles the monopoly of Veikkaus Oy and opens online betting, online casino, online slots and online bingo to licensed private operators beginning July 1, 2027. Applications have been accepted since March 1, 2026, through the National Police Board, while supervision will transfer to the new Finnish Supervisory Authority in 2027.
Velipekka Nummikoski
The controversy centers on crypto. Licensed operators will be prohibited from accepting cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals despite estimates from H2 Gambling Capital placing Finland’s total gambling market at €1.9 billion in 2026, with 81% generated online. According to Velipekka Nummikoski, deputy CEO of Veikkaus, offshore gambling already represents between €600 million and €900 million annually. Kristoffer Kantola, co-founder of Kryptokasinot.io, warned that excluding crypto payments could unintentionally push part of the market further offshore, particularly as the European Union’s MiCA framework now provides licensing, KYC, transaction monitoring and compliance requirements for crypto service providers.
The Nordic region is now moving into a new regulatory era where success will no longer depend solely on opening markets. The key challenge is becoming increasingly clear: creating frameworks strong enough to combat illegal gambling while remaining competitive against offshore operators, digital payment alternatives and rapidly evolving player behavior.
