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ARTICLE · 08 APRIL 2026

Finland’s Gambling Market Reform — Key Points

Hannes Snellman
Hannes Snellman
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Hannes Snellman

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Finland is moving to a new regulatory model that will allow licensed operators to offer betting and certain online gambling products, ending the monopoly in these areas from July 2027.

FinlandMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Vilhelm Schröder
Vilhelm Schröder
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Finland is moving to a new regulatory model that will allow licensed operators to offer betting and certain online gambling products, ending the monopoly in these areas from July 2027.

Lottery games, scratchcards, and all land‑based casino and slot machine activities will remain under state control. The new Gambling Act was confirmed by the President of the Republic of Finland on 16 January 2026. Operators have been able to apply for a gambling game licence since the beginning of March 2026. The reform brings Finland closer to regulatory models already adopted elsewhere in Europe and the Nordic region.

Licensing Model and Timeline

  • Three types of licences will be available:
    • Exclusive licence, which is restricted to a single operator (in practice Veikkaus Oy)

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