Wildz says it secures Finland online gambling licence approval

Wildz has confirmed it was granted permission by Finland's National Police Board to offer gambling services in the country's regulated online market, which is scheduled to open on 1 July 2027. According to a Next.io report cited by the Malta-based company, the approval runs for five years. Wildz described itself as the first operator to publicly confirm a successful application, a claim the source frames as "making Wildz the first operator to announce a successful outcome from the application process".

Applications began in March 2026 and kept arriving through the year. The National Police Board's tally stood at 50 in June and reached 75 by September. There is no cap on how many licences Finland will grant: companies that satisfy the requirements can be approved, and they are allowed to seek licences for several brands and in more than one category. International groups named in the report as interested include Betsson, LeoVegas and Hippos ATG Oy.

The new system brings an end to Veikkaus' hold on online betting and casino games. Lotteries, scratch cards, physical slot machines and land-based casino operations stay with Veikkaus, which keeps them exclusively under a licence structure controlled by the state.

Player protection features prominently in the framework. Autoplay is to be prohibited, reminders must be shown to players every 15 minutes, and slot stakes are limited to €20, with a €10 ceiling for those under 25. On advertising, licensees may use television, radio and newspapers, but influencer marketing and direct solicitation are subject to restrictions.

Enforcement against unlicensed promotion has continued ahead of the market opening. The National Police Board said earlier this week that in 2026 it had issued four prohibition orders and six conditional fines over illegal gambling promotions. Fines have gone as high as €1.2m, and the board has already acted against operators including MagicPoro over allegations that they targeted Finnish consumers.

When the licensing regime starts on 1 July 2027, gambling oversight passes from the National Police Board to the National Supervisory Authority. Approval obtained after that date does not shut an operator out: it can still join the market once its licence is issued.

Wildz chief executive Sam Brown said the approval was a reward for the team's work on the application. He said the company's brands would offer players in Finland a safe and engaging entertainment product, and that Wildz was looking forward to July 2027.