Hippos ATG Oy has received the first licence for Finland's gambling market. The company will be able to take horse racing bets, sports bets and offer online casino once the market opens to competition on 1 July 2027. It cannot operate before that date.
ATG and Suomen Hippos JV
Hippos ATG is a joint venture between Swedish operator AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) and Suomen Hippos, Finland's national organisation for trotting and horse breeding, with equal 50% stakes. ATG has worked in Sweden since 1974. It entered Denmark in 2019. Chief executive Mikael Bäcke said the company had put significant resources into preparing its Finnish business for the new law, covering responsible gambling procedures, anti-money laundering, information security, technical compliance, internal control, risk management and corporate governance.
What the reform changes
The new Gambling Act takes effect mainly on 1 July 2027. It ends Veikkaus Oy's exclusivity for sports betting, online casino, online slots and online bingo. Veikkaus keeps lotteries, scratch cards, land-based slot machines and land-based casinos. The aim is more national control. Finland's Ministry of the Interior points to bringing more play under national regulation and supervision and to stronger action against gambling-related harm.
The National Police Board began taking licence applications on 1 March 2026. It handles licensing during the transition. By 22 September it had 75 applications, up from 50 in June. Powers pass to the Finnish Supervisory Agency in July 2027. Under the Hippos ATG model, 60% of profit goes to horse racing and breeding. Competition is forming early. Affiliates and operators should track the queue.
