Wildz Group says it has completed Finnish gaming licence process

Wildz Group has announced that it has completed the process to obtain a licence to operate online gambling in Finland. The Malta-based company said preparations for the regulated market opening on 1 July 2027 are underway.

Wildz Group and the gaming licence Finland: who, when and how

Wildz Group says it is the first operator to declare that it has received authorisation to operate in the Finnish market once the new regulation takes effect. The statutory date in the legislation is 1 July 2027, when the state monopoly of Veikkaus will end and the market will be liberalised under the new Finnish Gambling Act.

The licence application process opened on 1 March 2026. Applicants were required to pay an application fee of €29,000 and there is no cap on the number of licences that may be granted.

Regulated market opening in Finland and the legal timetable

The Finnish Gambling Act will change the legal framework by allowing private operators. The licensing regime is scheduled to come into force on 1 July 2027. Until that date, the state-owned company Veikkaus will continue to operate under the previous model.

The National Police Board of Finland, which manages the licensing process, reported that it had received 75 applications by 22 September 2026. That volume exceeded expectations for a country of 5.6 million inhabitants.

Statements and transparency of the process

Wildz Group stated on social media that it had successfully completed the procedure and is continuing preparatory work for its operational launch in July 2027. The operator’s public post was published on LinkedIn by Lasse Rantala, a member of the company’s board of directors.

The National Police Board has not published any decisions on applications nor confirmed whether it will publish an official list of approved operators. It is not clear whether other applications have already been finalised or what the regulator’s transparency format will be.

Competitors, applications and economic conditions

Among applicants publicly disclosed were Veikkaus itself and Hippos ATG. Several international operators also announced they had submitted applications before the deadline. The absence of a cap on licences and the €29,000 application fee contributed to notable interest in the market.

The high number of applications has generated sector debate about the possibility of market saturation once the licensing regime enters into force.

Regulatory aspects under debate in Finland

Some officials and industry professionals have expressed doubts about specific measures included in the government’s legislative package. Concerns cited include the cooling-off period and the ban on affiliates, measures that some stakeholders say could hinder the channeling of players to regulated operators.

Criticism focuses on the idea that restrictions on acquisition channels and additional requirements could complicate the transition from the monopoly to an open market system, and that these issues merit practical attention during implementation.

What these developments mean for operators and regulators

For operators planning to enter Finland, Wildz Group’s confirmation marks the visible start of private competition in a market previously exclusive to the State. The combination of a €29,000 application fee and no limit on the number of licences means operators must assess investment capacity, channel strategy and regulatory compliance.

For the National Police Board and other national regulatory bodies, the challenge will be to manage a licence award process with adequate transparency and oversight, and to decide the extent of publication of decisions. The regulator will also need to monitor saturation indicators and market channels once operators begin to compete openly.

European context and precedents

Finland will be among the last EU Member States to move away from a state monopoly model in favour of an open licensing system, after Sweden adopted that model in 2019. The Finnish transition will be watched by neighbouring markets and by operators interested in regional expansion.

To monitor regulatory implications and regulatory changes, professionals can consult analysis and news in the outlet's regulation section.

Upcoming milestones to watch

• 1 July 2027: scheduled start of the regulated market under the Finnish Gambling Act.

• Publication or non-publication of the list of operators approved by the National Police Board.

• Market reaction to the opening and assessment of saturation risk.

Industry participants now face a period of operational and compliance preparation that concludes with the statutory market opening date.