The National Police Board of Finland has officially confirmed that twelve companies have been granted licences to operate in the country’s soon-to-be-liberalised online gambling market. This follows the regulator’s response to an information request, offering the first clear picture of the licensing process as Finland prepares to end its state monopoly on online gambling from 1 July 2027.
First Licence Recipients Revealed
The twelve approved companies include Granturo Finland Ltd (Wildz Group), HipposATG, Sunflower Gaming Limited, Cloudberry Ent Limited, RocketLily Ent Limited, and Buccone Trading Limited. Each of these operators will be eligible to launch online gambling services once the market opens. The approvals come from a pool of 79 applications submitted as of late October, with no rejections reported at this stage.
Veikkaus and Market Dynamics
Finland’s current state-owned operator, Veikkaus, was not among the initial licence recipients but has applied to continue operations in the new regime. While Veikkaus is expected to leverage its strong brand and customer base during the transition, it will retain exclusivity over lottery products, scratchcards, and land-based gaming machines. Online gambling, however, will be open to private competition for the first time.
Implications for Industry Stakeholders
The move to a licensing system is significant for operators and affiliates looking to access a mature European market with established gambling participation. For suppliers and affiliates, the emergence of new licensees signals fresh partnership opportunities. Regulators will be tasked with overseeing a competitive environment while ensuring compliance and responsible gambling standards.
Key takeaways
- Twelve companies have received licences to operate online gambling in Finland from 2027.
- The National Police Board is overseeing the licensing process, with 79 applications received so far.
- Veikkaus retains its monopoly on lottery and land-based gaming, but faces new online competition.
- The market’s liberalisation offers new opportunities for operators, affiliates, and suppliers.
Update (27.10.2026)
The official list of the 12 licence recipients includes: Buccone Trading Limited (Frank & Fred, Klirr), Cloudberry Ent Limited, Granturo Finland Ltd from Wildz Group (Wildz, Caxino, Wheelz), Hippos ATG Oy (ATG), KuuFlip Limited, Nivei Ursi Limited, RocketLily Ent Limited, SixthSpin Limited, Skill On Net Ltd (PlayOJO), Sunflower Gaming Limited, SuomiVeto Oy from the BetCity team, and YTBlue Limited. As of 26 October, decisions on the remaining 67 applications were still pending. Notably, Maltese operator Blixx Gaming (Kanuuna, Lonkerokasino) announced it had received three licences on 26 October, but it was not listed by the official regulator. Industry analysts H2 Gambling Capital estimate Finland's total gambling GGR at €1.9 billion for 2026, with 81% attributed to online channels.