Finland's National Police Board (Poliisihallitus) has issued 18 online gambling licences and announced this on 29 October 2026. The licences run from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032, unless the decision states otherwise.
Licensees may not operate or advertise games before 1 July 2027, and only after an audit and connection to the supervisory system. The first decisions are dated 15 October. By 26 October the authority had confirmed 12 licences out of 79 applications and rejected none.
The law opens betting, online casinos and online bingo to competition. Veikkaus keeps its monopoly on lotteries, scratch cards and land-based slot machines with casino tables.
For affiliates and media buyers, the takeaway is this: from 1 July 2027, only companies on the list that have passed the audit and connected to supervision will be able to promote Finnish online gambling legally. Applications for game software licences open in early July 2027.
Another 63 applications are still under review. The authority puts processing at six to eight months. Until 30 June 2027 the police board issues licences and supervises the market. After that date the duties pass to the new Lupa- ja valvontavirasto (Licensing and Supervisory Agency). The next milestone is 1 July 2027, when the market opens and supervision moves to the new agency.
