Online bingo is currently legal in Finland but operates exclusively under a state monopoly held by Veikkaus Oy, a state-owned company that has exclusive rights to provide all gambling services including online casinos, sports betting, and lotteries (1). The Lotteries Act regulates all gambling activities in Finland with the purpose of ensuring legal protection of players, preventing misuse and crime, and reducing economic, social and health-related harm resulting from gambling (1). The National Police Board currently supervises the running of gambling games and their marketing, ensuring compliance with all regulatory provisions (1).
The Finnish government submitted a comprehensive gambling reform bill to Parliament on March 20, 2025, which proposes to end Veikkaus' exclusive rights to online betting and digital casino games, replacing the current monopoly with a competitive licensing model scheduled to begin in January 2027 (2). Private operators will be able to apply for licenses to offer online sports betting, casino games, and online bingo, aligning Finland's system more closely with those already implemented in countries such as Sweden and Denmark (2). Veikkaus will retain exclusive rights over lottery draws, scratch cards, and land-based operations including physical slot machines and casinos, while a new Licensing and Supervisory Authority will be established to oversee compliance, grant licenses, and issue fines starting in 2027 (2).
"According to the Government Programme, the Government will reform the gambling system and open it to competition using a licence model by 1 January 2026 at the latest. The aim of the reform is to prevent and reduce economic, social and health-related harm resulting from gambling and to improve the channelling rate of the gambling system."
The proposed reform introduces strict player protection measures including a national self-exclusion system similar to those in Sweden and Denmark, allowing individuals to set bans on all gambling activities or specifically by operator or certain games (2). Marketing restrictions will prohibit the use of bonuses, affiliates, and influencer endorsements, with gambling marketing only permitted by license holders themselves without third-party involvement (2). Licensed operators will face a 22% tax on Gross Gaming Revenue along with annual supervision fees scaled according to game margins, with license applications opening in January 2026 and licensed providers expected to launch services in early 2027 (1)(2).
Source:
https://intermin.fi/en/police/gambling
https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2024/finland/finland-ending-its-online-gambling-monopoly-in-2027
Last updated: 28-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
