Licence and launch
Hippos ATG Oy has taken a Finnish gambling licence, becoming the second company to say publicly that its application succeeded. The National Police Board, which handles the applications, has not confirmed any licensing decisions.
The licence runs for five years. Finland is ending its state gambling monopoly and opening the market to private operators on 1 July 2027 as part of a wider regulatory overhaul.
Hippos ATG is a joint venture between Swedish ATG (AB Trav och Galopp) and Suomen Hippos, the Finnish equestrian association. The venture was announced in 2025. At launch it will trade under the ATG brand, on recognition, and run on ATG's own gaming platform, which the company has called a cost-effective solution.
Mikael Bäcke, who heads Hippos ATG, said: 'We were always confident we would meet the licence conditions. A positive decision is the most important precondition for entering the market.' The company will now focus on products and on finishing its operating structure, he said.
A crowded field
Malta's Wildz Group was the first to announce a successful application, on 15 October. Around 80 companies applied for Finnish licences. Some experts pointed to a saturation risk given the country's small population, though the grey market is large and channelling players into the legal segment is meant to shrink it.
Antti Koivula, compliance director at Hippos ATG, told SBC Lisbon in September that the conditions would be uneven. Incumbent monopoly Veikkaus and offshore operators already hold customer bases, he said, which gives them a head start over those beginning from zero.
