Immense Group appoints Joonas Karhu as Finland managing director

• Immense Group has named Joonas Karhu as managing director for Finland, nearly a decade after his first stint with the group as country manager.
• The appointment supports Immense Group’s preparations ahead of Finland’s new licensing framework, with operator applications opening 1 March 2026 and commercial operations beginning 1 July 2027.
• Karhu brings more than 15 years of iGaming experience spanning affiliate, operator, and commercial leadership roles, including co-founding casino affiliate Bojoko.

Immense Group has appointed Joonas Karhu as managing director for Finland, reinforcing its Nordic strategy as operators move to secure a leading position ahead of the country’s landmark shift to a competitive, licensed gambling market.

Based in Helsinki, Karhu will oversee the group’s strategic activities in Finland, supporting partnership development, media engagement, and long-term market positioning for its casino and betting brands.

A familiar face returns

Karhu is no stranger to Immense Group. Between 2016 and 2017, he served as country manager for Finland, giving him detailed knowledge of the group’s brands, operating model, and culture.

After departing, he co-founded Bojoko, a UK-focused iGaming affiliate platform. He served first as chief business officer and later as chief executive officer. Under his leadership, Bojoko expanded across regulated markets and built a strong reputation for its player-facing tools.

Last year in February of 2025, global sports media company North Star Network acquired Bojoko. Karhu transitioned into the role of head of casino at North Star. He oversaw the casino division and managed the integration of Bojoko into the wider organisation before departing at the end of 2025.

His return to Immense Group marks a full-circle moment. The company views his reappointment as providing operational continuity as it escalates its Nordic ambitions.

“I’m pleased to be returning to Immense Group at an important point in its development. The group has built a strong portfolio of brands and a clear position in regulated markets,” Karhu said.

Finland offers meaningful long-term potential, and my focus will be on building strong partnerships, strengthening our local presence and supporting sustainable growth. I look forward to reconnecting with colleagues and engaging with partners across the industry.”

Consolidating the Nordic portfolio

Over the past six months, Immense Group has been consolidating its multi-brand structure across regulated European jurisdictions. Its portfolio includes DBET, Mr Vegas, Videoslots, Kungaslottet, and Mega Riches.

The new chief executive will lead the group’s preparation work for Finland’s forthcoming licensing framework, positioning Immense Group among the first movers when the market formally opens.

Karhu brings more than 15 years of experience across affiliate, operator, and commercial leadership roles. That cross-sector background is particularly relevant as Finland’s new system places strict demands on both B2C operators and the B2B suppliers serving them.

Finland’s regulatory transformation

Finland’s gambling landscape is undergoing its most substantial change in decades. The country’s new Gambling Act was approved by the Finnish Parliament in December 2025 and signed into law by President Alexander Stubb in January 2026.

The reform ends Veikkaus Oy’s long-standing monopoly on online casino games, online sports betting, and online slots. Veikkaus will retain exclusive rights over lotteries, scratch cards, and physical slot machines.

The government is also exploring a potential Veikkaus IPO as part of the broader restructuring of the state-owned operator under the liberalised framework.

Under the new framework, private operators can apply for licences starting 1 March 2026, per the Finnish Ministry of the Interior. Commercial operations are set to begin on 1 July 2027.

A new Finnish Supervisory Agency will assume licensing and compliance duties from the National Police Board on the same date. Software providers can apply for B2B licences expected from early 2027, with full compliance required from 2028.

The reform sets a 22% GGR tax on licensed operators. It also introduces strict player protection requirements, including mandatory identity verification, a centralised self-exclusion register, anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) protocols. Marketing is tightly governed and limited to moderate promotion aimed at adults.

The rollout has not been without debate. Regulators delayed certain elements of the reform to prevent an advertising rush coinciding with the country’s election period. The use of affiliates — a standard acquisition channel in markets such as Sweden and the United Kingdom — is also banned under the new Finnish rules.

A stated goal of the reform is to improve Finland’s channelling rate, which is the share of gambling conducted on domestically regulated and supervised platforms. The country has seen growing leakage to offshore operators in recent years, a factor that accelerated the government’s move toward liberalisation.

Significance of the hire

For Immense Group, the Karhu appointment is a signal of intent. Operators that delay establishing local footholds risk being outmanoeuvred in a market where relationship-building and regulatory readiness will determine who secures a licence, and who wins player trust, from day one.

With licence applications opening 1 March 2026, the window for early positioning is narrow. Immense Group’s decision to place a Helsinki-based managing director into the market now suggests the group is not waiting to see how the regulation settles before committing resources.

For international operators still assessing Finland from a distance, that approach is a prompt to act sooner rather than later.