Finland's National Police Board has approved the first 12 gambling licences under the country's new competitive system. The initial licensing update says the authority had received 79 applications by October 26 and had not yet rejected an applicant. Licensed services can begin when the market opens on July 1, 2027.
The first group includes Hippos ATG Oy, Sunflower Gaming Limited, Granturo Finland Ltd, Skill On Net Ltd and eight other companies. The approvals let operators prepare for launch, but they do not permit them to begin offering newly licensed online games before the statutory opening date.
The reform replaces part of Veikkaus's monopoly with a multi-licence market for online betting and casino products. Finland's official reform timetable confirms that licensed services can start on July 1, 2027. Veikkaus will retain exclusive rights over products including national lotteries, scratch cards and physical slot machines.
Veikkaus has submitted its own application but was not in the first group of decisions, according to the licensing report. Regulatory responsibility will transfer to Finland's new supervisory authority when the competitive market begins, while the National Police Board handles the current application phase.
