Finland’s president approves gambling law ahead of March licence applications
President Alexander Stubb approved Finland’s Gambling Act and related laws on 16 January 2026, clearing the way for licence applications from 1 March. Online betting, slots, casino games and money bingo will open to competition from 1 July 2027, while Veikkaus retains exclusive rights over lotteries, scratch cards and most land-based gambling; licensed operators must use locally licensed gambling software from 1 July 2028.
Operators and suppliers face new licensing requirements and staged market-entry dates, including a separate software licence from 2028.