President Stubb approves Finland gambling reform with July 2027 market launch confirmed

• President Alexander Stubb approves the new Gambling Act on 16 January 2026.
• Licensing applications open on 1 March 2026, with the competitive market launching on 1 July 2027.
• Veikkaus monopoly ends for online betting, casino games, and slots.

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has approved the new Gambling Act, marking the final step in the country’s transition from a state monopoly to a competitive licensing system.

The President signed the legislation on 16 January 2026, exactly one month after parliament approved the bill with 158 votes in favour, representing approximately 95% of participating legislators.

The legislative reform, based on the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government, aims to prevent and reduce harm from gambling and improve the channelling rate.

The channelling rate refers to the amount of gambling that takes place using services regulated by national legislation and supervised by national authorities.

Timeline and licensing process

Gambling companies can apply for licences from the National Police Board starting 1 March 2026. The provision of licensed gambling services can begin on 1 July 2027. This represents a six-month delay from the initially planned launch date of January 2027.

Veikkaus Oy will maintain its monopoly on providing gambling services until the end of June 2027. During this period, no other company may run or market gambling games. After 1 July 2027, the Finnish Supervisory Authority will assume licensing and supervision duties from the National Police Board.

From 1 July 2028, holders of exclusive and gambling licences may only use gambling software provided by a holder of a gambling software licence, tightening B2B licensing requirements.

Market structure and operator requirements

The reform opens betting games, online slots, casino games and online money bingo to competition under a licensing system. Veikkaus will retain the monopoly on lottery-type games, scratch cards and physical slot machines and casino games. A company within the Veikkaus Group may also apply for a licence to operate in the competitive market.

Applicants must meet fitness and propriety requirements for the provision of gambling services. Gambling licences can be granted to natural or legal persons specified in the Enterprise Act.

Licence holders must protect players from gambling-related harm. The age limit for gambling remains 18, and player registration requires strong identification to verify age. All gambling will require mandatory identification, enabling self-exclusion, consumption limits and self-monitoring.

Marketing restrictions balance access and protection

The Constitutional Law Committee required clarification of the draft legislation to ensure that restrictions on advertising complied with constitutional protections for freedom of expression and freedom of business. These concerns led to notable revisions during committee deliberations.

Marketing activity must remain moderate in both volume and visibility. Gambling may not be portrayed as a routine part of everyday life or as a means of improving one’s financial position. These restrictions reflect lawmakers’ emphasis on harm prevention alongside market liberalisation.

Marketing is permitted on television, radio and in newspapers, and on operators’ social media accounts as long as posts are not interactive with consumers. Influencer marketing and direct marketing by phone, including SMS messaging promotions, are prohibited. Marketing must include the age limit for gambling and signpost problem gambling prevention and treatment tools.

One notable change from the government’s original proposal is the inclusion of search engine marketing as a permitted channel.

The Administration Committee justified this decision by noting that such advertising primarily reaches individuals actively seeking information about gambling, supporting the policy goal of channelling demand toward the licensed system.

Bonus restrictions and player protections

As a general rule, the new Gambling Act prohibits free-to-play offers, deposit bonuses, discounted play, bundled offers and other player incentives. The only permitted exception is strictly regulated “bonus play money” granted for customer retention purposes, not player acquisition. Welcome bonuses are prohibited.

Permitted bonus play money must be of moderate value, offered on equal terms to customers, and subject to transparent and easily understandable conditions. Any wagering requirement may not exceed five times the bonus amount. Loyalty schemes, VIP programmes and rewards based on volume of play or deposit size are prohibited.

After the new act enters force, consumers can choose to self-exclude through a centralised system covering all licence holders. Licence holders must also allow players to self-exclude from specific games or game categories.

Gambling games played via a player account will have gambling company-specific transfer limits. Players must set daily and monthly limits on how much money they can transfer to their player account.

Industry response and channelling challenges

Finland has long struggled to keep channelling rates at the desired level of 90%. Many Finns gamble not with Veikkaus but with unlicensed offshore companies. The reform addresses this persistent challenge by opening the market to licensed operators who can compete effectively with offshore alternatives.

Veikkaus reported revenue declines in H1 2025 as the market prepares for liberalisation, reflecting the challenges faced by monopoly operators in competing with unlicensed alternatives.

Veikkaus supports the abolition of its own monopoly, citing Finland’s longstanding struggles with channelisation and the difficulty of competing against offshore firms. The operator has been building a private business unit that will compete with others in the liberalised market.

Finland is also considering a potential Veikkaus IPO as part of the 2027 market liberalisation, which could reshape the state-owned operator’s structure and competitive positioning.

The reform has gained broad political support. The four governing coalition parties pushed for legislation, while The Left Alliance and Greens were also in favour, albeit with some reservations.

Opposition parties had proposed stricter marketing measures and an increase in the gambling age to 20, from 18, but these amendments were rejected by MPs.

Implementation and monitoring

The Act does not introduce payment blocking or network traffic restrictions, although the potential need for such measures will be assessed after implementation. Lawmakers have required close monitoring of market performance, channelling effectiveness and regulatory resources, with the possibility of additional steps to curb unauthorised gambling if necessary.

Implementation of licensing and supervision under the new gambling system will continue as part of a project led by the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of the Interior is drafting decrees based on the Gambling Act. Government decrees and ministerial decrees concerning the running of gambling games will be prepared by 28 February 2027.

The coming years will test how effectively the new regulatory paradigm balances competition, consumer protection and supervisory control as Finland transitions to a partially liberalised gambling market.

The reform positions Finland alongside other Nordic jurisdictions such as Sweden and Denmark that have already moved to competitive licensing systems.