Connections
Get the daily briefing
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
Keep reading
ComeOn and SuomiVeto confirm Finnish gambling licences ahead of 2027 opening
ComeOn and SuomiVeto said they hold Finnish gambling licences for the online market due to open on 1 July 2027. ComeOn’s owner, European Entertainment Group, said Finland’s National Police Board granted the licences it sought for online casino and sports betting; SuomiVeto also confirmed its licence. The operators cannot accept bets in Finland before the market opens.
Finland’s National Police Board confirms 12 gambling licences ahead of 2027 launch
Finland’s National Police Board has confirmed 12 gambling licences ahead of the market opening on 1 July 2027, according to information it provided to the press. It had received 79 applications as of 26 October, with no rejections recorded; Veikkaus had applied but was not among the confirmed licence holders.
Finland's National Police Board has confirmed that 12 operators have secured gambling licences ahead of the market opening on 1 July 2027, according to information the regulator provided to the press. The confirmation is the first official one from the regulator itself, after several companies had previously announced their own approvals.
Finland’s National Police Board sets conditional fines up to €1.2m for illegal marketing
Finland’s National Police Board reported that the Gambling Administration had issued four prohibition decisions and imposed six conditional fines by mid-2026 for illegal gambling marketing under the Lotteries Act. Corporate conditional fines range from €100,000 to €1.2 million, while individual fines range from €30,000 to €200,000. The market is due to open to operators in July 2027.
Finland's National Police Board said the Gambling Administration has issued four prohibition decisions and imposed six conditional fines this year over breaches of the Lotteries Act concerning marketing of unauthorised gambling services in mainland Finland. The board announced the figures on Wednesday, according to its statement. The measures cover gambling promotions on websites, social media and live-streaming platforms.
Wildz Group announces Finnish online gambling licence
Wildz Group said board member Lasse Rantala announced on LinkedIn that the company had completed Finland’s licensing process. The National Police Board has not publicly disclosed application outcomes, and Wildz Group said launch preparations for July 2027 were continuing.
Wildz Group said it has completed Finland's online gambling licensing process, according to a LinkedIn post by board member Lasse Rantala. The National Police Board has not publicly disclosed the outcome of any licence applications, so the regulator has not confirmed that a licence has been granted.
Lords committee urges UK gambling advertising ban
The House of Lords Liaison Committee urged the UK government to ban gambling advertising. Its follow-up report also called on ministers to drop the aim of growing the licensed industry and return to a policy of tolerating gambling without promoting it. Industry figures and researchers dispute the report’s treatment of survey data, advertising measures and illegal-market risks.
The House of Lords Liaison Committee has urged the government to ban gambling advertising "as soon as practicable" and to abandon its aim of growing the licensed industry, in a follow-up report published on 17 September. The committee said there is "no evidence for the safety of gambling advertising" and that voluntary measures "have not gone far enough". The government has two months to respond.