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Finland’s president signs law ending Veikkaus gambling monopoly

Regulation

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb signed a law that will replace the gambling monopoly with a multi-licence system from 1 July 2027. Applications are due to open on 1 March 2026, with the National Police Board handling licensing until a new supervisory agency takes over in mid-2027; Veikkaus retains exclusive rights in specified land-based and lottery segments.

Operators can begin applying for licences from March 2026, ahead of the scheduled market reform in July 2027.

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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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