Veikkaus Appoints Chris Armes as Chief Technology Officer Ahead of 1 July 2027 Market Opening

Veikkaus Oy appointed Chris Armes as Chief Technology Officer. The Finnish state operator made the move as it prepares for the shift to a multi-licence market that begins on 1 July 2027. Armes joins from High 5 Games, where he served as CTO for three years, and previously held the role of Chief Information Officer at Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) between 2019 and 2022.

The appointment follows the announcement that Deputy Chief Executive Officer Velipekka Nummikoski will depart at the end of the month. Nummikoski played an instrumental role in the formation of Veikkaus in the early 2010s. Armes will oversee the next stage of the operator’s technological development.

Olli Sarekoski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Veikkaus, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Chris to Veikkaus’ Executive Team. His broad experience in transforming iGaming technology platforms and leading in highly regulated international markets will be extremely valuable as we continue to develop first-class customer experiences and technological innovation.”

Sarekoski added that Armes’ strong commitment to responsible gaming and security aligns with the operator’s values and that he brings extensive international gaming experience.

Armes said: “I am excited to join Veikkaus, an ambitious and forward-looking company that is entering an important new phase as the Finnish market opens and the company continues to internationalise. I look forward to working with the talented team in Helsinki to support the next phase of technology-led growth and to deliver competitive, scalable and safe digital platforms for our players.”

Veikkaus Formation Through 2017 Merger

Veikkaus Oy was formed in 2017 via the merger of three different gaming firms. These were the original lotteries and sports betting firm Veikkaus, horse racing betting operator Fintoto, and the Slots Machine Association (RAY), which organised land-based gaming. The combined entity held exclusive rights to operate lottery, betting and iGaming services in Finland.

Offshore activity prompted the government and Veikkaus to reappraise the monopoly system. The operator has supported the transition to a multi-licence model. Finland’s parliament and president have fully approved the change, which takes effect from 1 July 2027. According to reporting by Lottery Daily, the hire supplies technology leadership suited to competition against international firms with established tech stacks.

Reporting: Lottery Daily

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