Finland's National Police Board, acting as temporary regulator, has received 75 gambling licence applications as of September 22. That exceeds early projections ahead of the market opening on July 1, 2027.
The total stood at 50 in June and held through August. Another 25 came in over seven weeks. Janne Nikkinen, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, notes that the NPB had forecast issuing 40 to 60 licences. He expects the government to be satisfied with demand and unlikely to worry about oversupply. Sweden, with twice the population, has issued 89 licences.
Applications opened on March 1, 2026. The first three months saw the heaviest flow: 24 in March, 23 in May. There is no deadline. The law sets no cap on operator numbers — any application meeting requirements will be approved. Processing takes six to eight months. September filings will be decided by May 2027; January submissions only after the market opens. Operators can launch immediately upon approval, so the roster on July 2 may differ from the year-end lineup.
A gambling licence costs €29,000. Software supplier licences will be issued only from July 2027. Some companies have applied for multiple categories, so 75 applications do not mean 75 operators. The NPB has not disclosed the full applicant list.
State monopoly Veikkaus posted €936.3 million in revenue in 2025 from 2.7 million registered customers — nearly half the country's 5.7 million population. The company has applied to retain its lottery monopoly and enter the competitive market for sports betting, online casino, slots and bingo.
Marketing restrictions take effect July 1, 2027: affiliates and influencers are banned, advertising limited to an operator's own channels. Sponsorship remains available — a Superpesis deal was signed nine months before launch.
