Finland Approves 12 Online Gambling Licenses Ahead of July 2027 Market Opening

The police board has now confirmed its first licensees for the market that opens in July 2027. State monopoly Veikkaus is not among them, and 67 applications are still pending.

Francis Gable

27/10/26 · 2 minOctober 27, 2026 · 2 min read

Finland's National Police Board has granted 12 online gambling licenses and rejected none of the 79 applications it had received by Oct. 26.

This is the regulator's first official count. Until now, only individual companies such as Wildz Group and Hippos ATG had announced their own approvals.

The list shows which companies Finnish players will be able to use legally once private online gambling opens on July 1, 2027. It also shows who is still waiting, including the state-owned company that runs the market now.

The Board Names Its First 12 Licensees

The approved companies are Hippos ATG, Granturo Finland (part of Wildz Group), Skill On Net, SuomiVeto, Sunflower Gaming, Cloudberry Ent, SixthSpin, KuuFlip, RocketLily Ent, Nivei Ursi, YTBlue and Buccone Trading, according to multiple industry reports of the board's reply.

A Finnish gambling license lasts up to five years. It can cover sports betting, online casino games, online slots and online cash bingo, according to the police board. Companies have been able to apply since March 1, 2026.

Hippos ATG is owned half by Swedish betting company ATG and half by the Finnish harness racing body Suomen Hippos. Its license covers horse betting, sports betting and online casino games, the company said in an Oct. 19 announcement. It says 60% of its profits will go back to Finnish horse racing and breeding.

Veikkaus Waits as 67 Bids Stay Open

Veikkaus, the state-owned company that holds the current monopoly, applied for a license to keep offering online gambling but is not on the list, according to multiple industry reports. It will keep sole rights to lotteries, scratchcards and land-based gaming machines.

FairGambling covered Wildz Group's license claim when the company announced it in October.

With no rejections, 67 applications were still undecided on Oct. 26. The board has not said when it will rule on them. The next decision to watch is whether Veikkaus wins a license before the market opens on July 1, 2027.

Treat gambling as entertainment you pay for. 18+, and if it stops feeling like entertainment, help exists at BeGambleAware and GamCare.