Finnish Gambling Act is passed, with gambling market to be opened to competition
Finland has passed a new Gambling Act that will partially open its market to competition in 2027, while Veikkaus retains exclusive rights to some games.Summary
Finland has approved a new Gambling Act set to partially open its gambling market to competition. The reform, effective in the summer of 2027, will end Veikkaus, the state-owned national gaming company’s, exclusive right to offer betting games, online slot machines, and casino games. However, Veikkaus will maintain its monopoly on lottery games, scratch cards, and physical slot machines/casino games. Gambling companies can begin applying for licenses on March 1, 2026. Veikkaus itself will apply for licenses to continue its operations and potentially expand its services. The goal of this shift is to channel gambling into legal offerings, estimated to currently see between 600-900 million euros played annually outside the official system, and to reduce gambling-related harm by bringing all operators under the same regulations. Supervision will transfer from the National Police Board to a new Licensing and Supervisory Authority.
(Source：Readwrite)