Finland is moving from a gambling monopoly to a partly licensed market. From 1 July 2027, operators holding a Finnish gambling licence may offer betting, online slot and casino games and online money bingo to players in Finland, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Until then, Veikkaus Oy keeps its exclusive right, and no other company may run or market gambling games in mainland Finland.
This guide summarises what changes, what stays the same and what international operators should prepare before launch.
What opens to competition — and what does not
The new Gambling Act (Rahapelilaki 10/2026) combines a licensing system with a remaining monopoly. According to the Ministry of the Interior:
- Opened to licensed competition: betting games, online slot and casino games, and online money bingo.
- Retained by Veikkaus: lottery-type games, scratch cards, and physical slot machines and casino games.
The Ministry notes that the model is similar to the systems already used in Denmark and Sweden.
Key dates
- 16 December 2025 — Parliament adopted the new Gambling Act.
- 16 January 2026 — the President approved the acts.
- 1 March 2026 — the licensing provisions entered into force; the online application service opened on 2 March 2026.
- 1 July 2027 — Finland’s new Gambling Act enters into force mainly on this date (parts of the licensing framework started earlier; software licensing requirements apply from 2028), licensed gambling services can begin subject to each operator's licence, and licensing and supervision move from the National Police Board to the new supervisory authority.
- July 2027 — applications for gambling software licences open.
- 1 July 2028 — the software licence requirement applies.
A more detailed version is available in our Finland gambling reform timeline.
Licensing in brief
Applications are submitted in writing to the National Police Board, in Finnish or Swedish. According to the Finnish Police, the 2026 processing fee for a gambling licence is EUR 29,000 per application, and licences are valid for five years. The Police describe a target processing time and warn that incomplete applications take longer.
Among other attachments, the Act requires applicants to include a statement on where and how they intend to market gambling. We cover this in what the licence marketing statement needs to cover.
What this means for marketing
The licence opens the door to marketing — but within a closed framework. The Act lists the channels where licensed gambling may be marketed and states that other marketing is prohibited. Marketing must also be moderate in amount, scope, visibility and frequency.
Three consequences matter most for launch planning:
- Channels are limited. Permitted channels include the operator's own website and social media accounts (non-interactively), TV and radio, sports and other public events, print media, gaming points and search engines for brand-related terms. Outdoor marketing of the licence holder is permitted only within the Act's location restrictions.
- Influencer marketing is not a permitted channel. Plans built around creators promoting gambling will not transfer to Finland. See can gambling companies use influencers in Finland?
- Sponsorship has its own rules. Sponsorship is allowed with conditions — for example, gambling games must not be brought forward in sponsorship, and no sponsorship agreements may be made with under-18s.
Our overview of gambling advertising rules in Finland goes through the channels in more detail.
How operators can prepare
- Confirm licence scope and expected decision timing with your legal team.
- Plan a realistic launch date that depends on the licence, not the other way round.
- Build a Finland-specific marketing plan around the permitted channels.
- Prepare Finnish-language creative and the required information (age limit, help services, licence and supervisory authority).
- Decide early whether sports sponsorship is part of the plan, because good partnerships take time to negotiate.
Our Finland iGaming market entry checklist turns these points into a step-by-step plan.
Where Collafly fits
Collafly is a Finnish marketing platform and team. We do not provide legal advice or licence representation. We help international operators translate an approved Finland strategy into local execution: Finnish content production, sponsorship partner sourcing and campaign coordination within the permitted framework.
