Wildz says it receives five-year Finnish gambling licence ahead of 2027 launch

Wildz Group said it has received a five-year Finnish gambling licence from the Finnish National Police Board (NPB). The Malta-based company said the licence would allow it to offer gambling products when Finland's regulated online market opens on 1 July 2027. The NPB has not publicly confirmed the approval, according to LCB, so Wildz's announcement is the basis for its claim to be the first operator to report authorisation.

Alongside Wildz, the group runs Blingi, Caxino, Chipz, Spinz, Tuplaus and Wheelz, and it additionally provides the Wildz Sports sportsbook. According to the company, the licence lasts five years and would allow it to operate in the new market from the moment the regime begins. Receiving the approval does not, however, indicate that Finland's licensed market has started operating.

Sam Brown, who leads Wildz as chief executive, described the approval positively in remarks that GamblingNews carried. According to him, the group's brands are intended to give Finnish players a product that is both safe and engaging, and he added that the company was anticipating the launch in July 2027.

For parts of the online market, Finland is replacing its state-controlled gambling model with a licensing system. Applications open in March 2026, and the switch is due to take place on 1 July 2027. Veikkaus will not lose its exclusive position in every gambling product: only specified online activities are being opened up, and certain products stay outside the competitive framework.

Around 75 companies had submitted applications, and figures cited elsewhere in Finnish media place the number near 80. The reporting states that a fee of €29,000 applies to each application. LeoVegas and Betsson are among the operators that have shown interest in the market.

Applications are still being processed by the NPB, and further approvals could be announced by other operators ahead of the market's opening. What Wildz's statement shows at present is that it is the first company to report authorisation publicly; it is not a first award that the regulator has publicly verified.