Finland Receives 75 iGaming Licence Applications Ahead of 2027 Market Launch

Finland's National Police Board has received 75 gambling licence applications ahead of the country's regulated iGaming market opening on July 1, 2027.

The total, recorded as of September 22, is up from 50 applications reported in June and exceeds earlier industry estimates of between 40 and 60. No applications had been decided at the time of the latest update.

Applications have been accepted since March 1, 2026 as Finland prepares to replace Veikkaus' monopoly in betting and online casino products with a licensing system.

75 Applications Do Not Necessarily Mean 75 Operators

The number of applications should not be read as the number of companies preparing to enter Finland.

A single gambling licence can cover several gambling implementations, including fixed-odds betting, variable-odds betting, virtual betting, online casino games, online cash bingo and online slots. Companies can also choose to submit separate licence applications, with a processing fee charged for each one.

The processing fee for a gambling licence application is €29,000 in 2026 and is payable regardless of whether the application is approved or rejected.

Finland's National Police Board has not published a complete list of applicants.

Veikkaus Applies for Both Monopoly and Competitive Operations

State-owned Veikkaus has also entered the licensing process.

The company has applied for exclusive licences covering activities that will remain under the state monopoly and for licences allowing it to compete in the market segments opening to private operators, including betting and online casino products.

Under the new system, Veikkaus will retain exclusive rights over areas including lotteries, scratch cards, physical slot machines and land-based casino games, while betting and online casino products will be opened to licensed competition.

The competitive market is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2027. From that date, responsibility for licensing and supervision will transfer from the National Police Board to Finland's Supervisory Agency.

Licence Processing Target Is Six to Eight Months

The National Police Board currently gives a target processing time of six to eight months and warns that individual applications may take longer, particularly when documents are incomplete.

There is no fixed application deadline and no statutory cap on the number of gambling licences Finland can issue. Operators planning to launch when the regulated market opens will therefore need to account for the processing period when submitting their applications.

iGaming Express said companies targeting a July 2027 launch would likely need to apply before the end of December 2026, although this is not a formal regulatory deadline.

Before beginning operations, successful licensees must also complete required system audits and connect their gambling systems to the regulator's supervisory interfaces.

Software suppliers will follow a separate timetable. Applications for gambling software licences can begin in July 2027, while the requirement to hold such a licence takes effect from July 1, 2028.

The rise from 50 to 75 applications within several months indicates that interest in Finland's new licensing regime has continued to build as the July 2027 opening approaches.