Finland’s National Police Board Receives 75 Gambling License Applications Ahead of July 2027 Market Opening

Finland’s National Police Board, serving as the temporary regulator, has received 75 gambling license applications as of September 22. This total exceeds early expectations for the competitive market that opens on July 1, 2027. The Board has not yet decided on any filings, according to reporting by Yogonet International.

The count stood at 50 in June. An additional 25 applications arrived over roughly seven weeks. Researcher Janne Nikkinen at the University of Helsinki said the regulator had projected between 40 and 60 licenses. Nikkinen added that the government will likely be satisfied with the higher-than-expected demand.

“It might be the case that not all applicants are accepted. But this is not very likely,” Nikkinen said.

By comparison, Sweden has issued 89 licenses, although its population is about twice that of Finland.

Application Trends and Processing Timelines

Senior inspector Sanna Kuusela said the Board began accepting applications on March 1, 2026. The first three months produced the most filings, with 24 in March and 23 in May. There is no deadline, and the law sets no cap on the number of licensed operators. Every application that meets the requirements will receive a license.

The NPB’s processing target is six to eight months per application. Applicants seeking to operate from the first day would likely need to apply before the end of December 2026. Each license carries a fee of €29,000 ($33,060). A gambling game license covers fixed-odds betting, pool betting, virtual betting, online casino or online slots. Gaming software licenses for suppliers open in July 2027.

Incumbent Position and Remaining Uncertainties

State-owned Veikkaus generated €936.3 million ($1,067 million) in sales revenue in 2025 from 2.7 million registered customers, close to half of Finland’s population of about 5.7 million. Veikkaus has applied for licenses to continue its lottery operations and to compete in betting, online casino, online slots and online bingo.

Marketing restrictions will require moderate and necessary visibility directed at licensed activities. Operators will be limited to their own channels, with no affiliates and no influencers. Several details remain unclear, including the precise number of unique companies among the 75 applications, how many decisions the Board will complete before market opening, and whether any applications have been refused or withdrawn.

Reporting: Yogonet International

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