The government proposed HE 16/2025 is before Parliament. It states that regulators will create separate licenses and split the state-owned Veikkaus into two companies. It will also introduce a new supervisory authority to oversee the online sector.
The Monopoly Ends with Licensing Framework
Finland has had a long-running exclusive model where Veikkaus was the sole authorized gambling operator in the country. Officials and lawmakers have argued that a monopoly no longer works in the online era. More than half of Finland's online gambling spend goes to offshore sites that are outside of the government's controls.
Speaking about it, interior minister, Mari Rantanen explained that the goal is to pull online gambling activity back into the regulated market without undermining consumer protections.
When presenting the proposal, Rantanen said, "The goal has been to find a regulatory solution where measures to prevent gambling harm are balanced with a willingness for gambling companies to apply for a license, and where online gambling is directed to regulated offerings."
The new Gambling Act would initially cover online casino games and online betting. Land-based lotteries, the Casino Helsinki properties, and physical slot machines in the country would remain under an exclusive license held by a Veikkaus subsidiary. Veikkaus will be restructured into two companies.
B2C and B2B: Two Licenses for Finland
The framework includes two types of licenses as explained by Nordic Legal. Online gambling operators that wish to provide online casino products or online betting to Finnish players will apply for a five year gambling game license. The licenses will carry a 22% tax on gross gaming revenue. The application window is expected to open in early 2026 for a 2027 market launch.
The second license is a gambling software license and will cover suppliers and any company that provides games or platforms to licensed operators. Applications for this type of license will open in 2027. Full compliance will be mandatory from the 1st of January 2028 and any operator with a gambling game license in Finland will only be able to use content from suppliers that have obtained a software license.
This will see Finland oversee studios, providers, and data suppliers, and it adds a new due diligence step for brands entering the market.
Veikkaus to be Split
Veikkaus is to be divided into at least two legally distinct companies within a single group to satisfy EU competition rules. One entity will retain a 10-year monopoly on lottery products, retail slot machines, and land-based casinos. The second entity will compete for online gambling revenue at online casinos in Finland and online betting. It will be on the same terms as private operators and will pay the same 22% GGR tax. It will also be required to apply for licenses under the new act.
CEO of Veikkaus, Olli Sarekoski, had stated in 2022 that bringing all gambling under the same regulatory regime could be a necessity, and has publicly acknowledged that the new regime is necessary.
A government-commissioned study confirmed a significant number of the population were using unregulated sites. Sarekoski stated that if Finland was moving towards a licensing system, that the change should happen as fast as possible.
Ahead of the 2027 launch, Veikkaus has started reorganizing and has a goal to remain Finland's leading gambling brand in the new open market.
New Supervisory Authority, Stricter Marketing Rules
A new dedicated gambling unit is to be formed within the Permit and Supervision Agency and will handle the licensing and day to day supervision of the online market. This replaces the current shared responsibilities between the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police Board. This new authority will be funded in part by industry supervision fees.
There will be changes to Finland's gambling advertising law and this is the first major overhaul of marketing rules in years. The plans include a ban on gambling ads during live sports broadcasts and there will be new guidance introduced for those dubbed 'gamefluencers' who stream casino and betting content on platforms such as Twitch.
A national Gambling Policy Programme under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is being updated to better integrate gambling-related harm, expand treatments, and reduce stigma. This will be introduced into mainstream health and social services.
Responsible Gambling in Finland's New iGaming Market
The government has two primary goals for the new 2027 iGaming market in Finland. They want to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm and reduce the number of players at unregulated sites by improving the channelling rate.
A study carried out by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority concluded that a licensing model can raise the channelling rate if set up correctly. Senior adviser, Joel Karjalainen said, "Responsibility measures remain ineffective without a significant high channelling rate." He also stated that safeguards only work if play takes place on regulated sites.
What Operators and Suppliers Can Expect from Finland's 2027 Gambling Act
Operators can expect detailed requirements on customer identification, centralized self-exclusion, risk-based intervention, and real-time data reporting.
In terms of marketing, it is to be limited to moderate promotion aimed at adults with strong restrictions on bonuses and cross-border targeting from .com sites into Finland.
The game software license will introduce direct accountability for suppliers and studios, and platform providers will need to show technical compliance and a clean record in other jurisdictions.
The ministry has signalled that companies that continue to target Finnish players illegally before 2028 could be shut out of the B2B licensing.
