Finland Approves 12 of 79 Gambling Licence Applications

The National Police Board confirmed the figures to iGaming Business in response to an information request. The approved companies include Hippos ATG, Skill On Net, SuomiVeto and Granturo Finland, which operates Wildz Group.

12 Decisions Since September, Only Four New Applications

On September 22, Finnish police had 75 applications on file and had not issued a licence. By October 26, the number of filings had increased by four, while 12 approvals had been recorded.

The approvals amount to 15.2% of the 79 applications, according to a 15M calculation. No refusals have been reported, and the authorities have not published decision dates for the other applications.

Veikkaus Is Still Missing From the List

Veikkaus has applied to operate in the competitive market but does not appear among the first 12 licence holders. Its existing monopoly on online betting and casino games runs until June 30, 2027.

The state-owned company will continue to control lotteries, scratch cards and physical gaming machines after the reform. Betting and online casino services will open to licensed competitors.

Wildz was an earlier recipient. Its approval was announced on October 15 and covered by 15M the following day, including the company’s previous dispute with Finnish police over gambling marketing.

Approval Does Not Open the Market Early

The 12 companies cannot begin taking bets in Finland under their new licences yet. The National Police Board requires system audits and integration with its supervision infrastructure before operations begin on or after July 1, 2027.

The same start date applies to permitted marketing by the new licensees. However, the new rules do not open the door to conventional affiliate campaigns. Finnish law firm Nordic Law notes that affiliate marketing remains prohibited because it is excluded from the channels permitted under Section 51 of the new Gambling Act.