Finland online gambling licensing process opens
Hippos ATG Oy has confirmed that it has applied for a licence to offer online gaming and sports betting.
Finland.- The application window has opened for online gambling licences in Finland. The move comes as the country prepares for the end of the monopoly of state-controlled Veikkaus and the opening of a competitive regulated online gaming market from July 2027.
Hippos ATG Oy, the joint venture between the Swedish horseracing betting operator ATG and the Finnish trotting organisation Suomen Hippos, has confirmed that it has submitted an application to the National Police Board’s Lottery Administration. It intends to offer sports betting and online casino offerings as well as horse racing betting.
Antti Koivula, Chief Compliance Officer at Hippos ATG Oy, wrote on LinkedIn: “The National Police Board has estimated that the processing time for licence applications will be three to six months, followed by the technical integrations required with the authorities’ systems. In total, the regulatory process is expected to take around 10 months. From our side, this phase has now officially started.”
He added: “It is important to bring trotting betting back closer to the trotting sport, where it naturally belongs. Betting is an integral part of Finnish horse racing, and a new era is now beginning, in which trotting betting will once again be developed clearly from the sport’s own starting points.”
Other operators already known to be interested in entering the upcoming Finnish gaming market include Åland islands-based Paf. Immense Group, operator of the Mr Vegas and DBET brands, has appointed a new Managing Director to oversee its Finnish expansion, while Kambi has partnered with SuomiVeto as well as Paf.
New decree on gambling-related harm
Meanwhile, the Finnish government has enacted a new decree focused on preventing gambling-related harm. It introduces new funding mechanisms and research obligations.
The decree mandates research into harm reduction strategies, targeting health, economic, and social impacts, while also aiming to improve channelisation rates. Oversight responsibilities have been assigned to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, which will lead monitoring, evaluation, and the development of prevention and treatment programmes.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare has been tasked with implementing these strategies and distributing state funding to non-profit organisations engaged in gambling harm research. The government’s 2026 budget earmarks €1.5m (£1.3m) for grants and subsidies to support this work.
Finland’s new gambling legislation
Published in January, the new Finnish Gambling Act outlines provisions covering licensing, oversight, and player protection.
Exclusive licences (up to two in total) are reserved for state-owned companies and cover lotteries and land-based betting and slot machines. These will go to the existing state-controlled monopoly operator Veikkaus, which is to be split in two, with one part of the company to retain its monopoly operations.
Open licences may be issued to private operators for activities such as fixed-odds and variable-odds betting, online casino games, virtual betting and electronic slots. Software providers will also subject to licensing, with strict bans on unlicensed products.
Player protection measures include identity checks for personal gaming accounts. Every login and transaction must be authenticated to prevent money laundering and underage gambling. This will most likely use Finland’s likely Bank-ID authentication technology.
Electronic gambling will be restricted to permanent residents, and players will have to set daily and monthly spending limits, while self-exclusion tools will allow them to block access instantly or for longer periods. Credit-based play, free games, and aggressive promotions will be prohibited, with only tightly controlled bonus schemes permitted.
Advertising on the regulated Finnish gambling market will also be tightly regulated. It must remain moderate, avoid targeting minors or vulnerable groups and cannot portray gambling as a solution to financial or social issues. Direct marketing will require explicit consent, and sponsorships will be restricted to avoid exposure in youth-oriented settings.
As for regulatory oversight, responsibility will shift from the National Police Board (Poliisihallitus) to a new National Supervisory Authority under the Lupa- ja valvontavirasto (Permit and Supervision Agency). The new regulator will possess broader powers than its predecessor. It will be empowered to issue licences, enforce compliance, collect data and impose penalties.
