Finland to Introduce Commercial Gambling Operators by 2027

According to a draft gambling bill from Finland’s Ministry of the Interior, commercial gambling operators will begin operations in Finland by early 2027. The government plans to end Veikkaus' monopoly by the end of 2026, with the new market set to launch in 2027.

The Ministry of the Interior is compiling a bill, expected to be presented during the Finnish parliament's spring session in 2025. The bill aims to "prevent and reduce gambling disadvantages and to improve the channeling of demand into the legally regulated gambling system." If approved, operators can apply for licenses starting early 2026, and software providers from early 2027. Both will need to pay annual fees to a new supervisory authority, though the tax rate remains unspecified.

Implementation Timeline

The government outlined a three-year timeline to establish the market:

1. 18 August 2024 – End of the government-run consultation process, currently gathering feedback from the sector.
2. Q1 2025 – Government proposal for the draft bill to be submitted to parliament during the spring session, typically in February.
3. Q1 2026 – Operator license applications open.
4. Q4 2026 – End of Veikkaus' monopoly over sports betting and online casino games, with the company splitting into two entities: one for lottery and land-based gaming, and the other for competing in the online market.
5. Early 2027 – Software providers can apply for licenses to offer online games. Licensed gambling activities may commence.
6. 2028 – Operators will be restricted to using games from locally licensed software providers.

New Regulatory Authority

Currently, the National Police Board oversees gambling in Finland, but this will change. The Ministry of Finance is tasked with establishing a new supervisory authority to regulate the market. This authority will aim to curb black market gambling by blocking online and payment traffic, directing demand to licensed operators.

The authority will also regulate marketing and advertising, ensuring it is moderate and necessary to guide gambling demand to licensed activities. It plans to implement a centralized self-exclusion register, allowing players to exclude themselves from all market offerings. The government has suggested banning unlicensed overseas advertising and prohibiting the marketing of high-risk gambling games to minors and vulnerable individuals.