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Finland confirms gambling licensing system will begin by January 2026

Regulation

Finland’s Ministry of the Interior confirmed that a competitive licensing system will start no later than 1 January 2026. It will cover online casino, slots, sports betting, bingo and horse racing betting, while Veikkaus will retain exclusive rights to lotteries, lottery games, physical slot machines and casino games; draft legislation has been sent to the European Commission for review.

Operators and suppliers can assess which gambling sectors Finland plans to open to competition and which remain exclusive to Veikkaus.

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Regulation

Finland's online gambling rules raise channelisation concerns

Finland's regulated online gambling market is due to open in July 2027 under the Finnish Gambling Act, ending state-owned Veikkaus' exclusive rights to online casino games and sports betting. A Helsinki Times op-ed questioned whether tough responsible gambling measures, including restrictions on marketing and bonuses, will keep licensed offerings attractive, citing Sweden's experience since 2019. Sweden's regulator Spelinspektionen has itself suggested its 90 per cent channelisation target may have been overly ambitious.

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