Finland’s Ministry of the Interior has announced a series of changes to operator license fees as part of the new 2027 Gambling Act.
This update comes in an important year for legal reform in the Scandinavian nationwith the dissolution of the long-standing state-owned gambling operator Veikkaus Oy.
Finland will now move to a more competitive model under the new gambling law, and the reform aims to move licensing away from the single-track standard established under Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government.
Finland announces new operator license fees
As part of a statementThe Finnish Ministry of the Interior has outlined the changes that operators must implement to offer legally approved betting.
The regulator also said there would be a deadline for these requests. As we reportedthey will come into force on March 1, 2026 and will end on December 31, 2026.
Finland to open some gambling services to competition https://t.co/uoZJbZRTDL
– Finnish Government (@FinGovernment) January 15, 2026
According to the post, the fee to hold an exclusive license and a gaming license will cost 29,000 euros ($34,000), and any changes made by a holder will incur a fee of 1,120 euros ($1,330).
The main goal, the overseer says, is to further regulate all forms of gambling and eliminate avenues for redress. illegal operators However, to prosper, compared to other nations, the fees are lower.
This could be an attempt to stimulate or encourage private ownership, as there are more open and established markets in the Netherlands and the UK.
The National Police Council will hand over the regulations
The free market will be strictly managed, the statement said, with close monitoring of certain forms of gambling offered to private operators when it comes into operation in July 2027.
Another substantial change will be the shift in the regulatory and application process from the National Police Board, which will remain in office until mid-2027, to the new oversight agency model.
Regardless of the regulator, Finland will adopt a unique hybrid model that will keep lotteries, casinos, physical slots and scratch cards firmly under public regulation, while sports and other online licenses will be up for grabs.
Featured Image: Finnish Ministry of the Interior
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