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# Finland: what B2B suppliers need before the licensed market opens

**Status:** opening. Licensed market from 1 July 2027; gambling software licence applications from 1 July 2027; licensed software mandatory from 1 July 2028. Last checked 3 November 2026. This page explains public sources. It is not legal advice.

**Short answer:** Finland replaces most of its state monopoly with a licensing system on 1 July 2027. Suppliers are licensed too: any company that develops, supplies, installs or adapts gambling software used by licensed operators needs a gambling software licence. Applications open on 1 July 2027, and from 1 July 2028 licensed operators may only use software from licensed suppliers.

## Key dates

| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 March 2026 | Operator licence applications open with the National Police Board |
| 26 October 2026 | 79 operator applications received and 12 licences granted, none rejected (figures reported by iGaming Business) |
| 30 June 2027 | Last day the National Police Board acts as licensing authority |
| 1 July 2027 | Licensed market opens; the new Finnish Supervisory Agency takes over; gambling software licence applications open |
| 1 July 2028 | Licensed operators may only use software from licensed gambling software suppliers |

Sources: [Borenius](https://www.borenius.com/insights/2026/05/28/finlands-gambling-act-reform-a-practical-guide-to-the-new-licensing-regime/), [Finnish Police](https://poliisi.fi/en/gambling), [iGaming Business](https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/licensing/finland-gambling-licensing-market-liberalisation/).

## Who needs which licence

| | Gambling licence | Gambling software licence |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Operators offering licensed products | Companies that develop, supply, install or adapt gambling software used in licensed gambling |
| Covers | Betting, online casino games, online bingo, online slot games | The software supply itself |
| Applications | Since 1 March 2026 (National Police Board) | From 1 July 2027 (Finnish Supervisory Agency) |
| In force | No earlier than 1 July 2027 | Mandatory for suppliers to licensed operators from 1 July 2028 |
| Reported fee | €29,000 application fee (police licensing page) | €1,500 (Borenius) |
| Term | Up to five years (reported) | Up to five years (reported) |

The state operator, Veikkaus, keeps exclusive rights to lottery-type games, scratch cards and land-based slot machines and casino games; the licensed market covers the online products above ([Mondaq summary](https://www.mondaq.com/gaming/1770406/finlands-gambling-market-reform-key-points)).

## What suppliers need

### A gambling software licence
Required for developing, supplying, installing or adapting gambling software used in licensed gambling ([Borenius](https://www.borenius.com/insights/2026/05/28/finlands-gambling-act-reform-a-practical-guide-to-the-new-licensing-regime/); [Finnish Police](https://poliisi.fi/en/gambling)). Applicants must be reliable and suitable for the activity, under section 10 of the reformed Act, as summarised in legal commentary.

### Clarity on whether your role counts
Legal commentary draws the line around the work you do, not your company type. Nordia Law notes that a subcontractor performing a limited task does not need a software licence. iGamingExpert reports that an aggregator delivering a studio's product with minimal changes does ([Nordia Law](https://nordialaw.com/entering-finlands-new-igaming-market-what-operators-need-to-know/); [iGamingExpert](https://igamingexpert.com/news/affiliates/nordic-law-finland-regulation/)). If you sit in the middle of the chain (aggregator, remote game server host, platform), assume operators will ask which side of that line you are on.

### A plan for testing and audit evidence
Sources disagree. One commercial market guide mentions independent RNG certification and periodic ISO 27001 audits; iGamingExpert reports no ongoing reporting or mandatory audits for software licensees. Until the Supervisory Agency publishes guidance, keep your existing certification evidence ready to share. See game certification.

## What operators will ask you for

These follow from the rules above; confirm the details once the Supervisory Agency publishes guidance.
- Whether you hold, or have applied for, a Finnish gambling software licence, and your timeline
- Which of your products and partners are covered by your licence, especially if you aggregate other studios' content
- Your certification and testing evidence for the products they plan to launch in Finland
- A go-live plan that fits their 1 July 2027 launch, and a licensing plan that fits 1 July 2028

## Open questions

- **1 July or 1 January 2028?** The police page and Borenius give 1 July 2028 for the licensed-software obligation; two secondary sources say 1 January 2028. Plan for the earlier date until the Agency confirms.
- **Testing and certification duties** for software licensees (see above).
- **Tax base.** A 22% gambling tax is widely reported for operators; sources describe the base differently. It affects your operator customers' margins and, through them, revenue-share terms.
- **Processing times.** Reported targets for operator applications range from three to eight months. Software licence processing times are not yet published.

## What to do now

1. **Decide whether your role needs a licence,** product by product, and write the answer down with your lawyer.
2. **Prepare the application file now,** so it can go in on 1 July 2027: company details, ownership, reliability and suitability evidence, product scope.
3. **Map your Finnish pipeline.** Operators are being licensed now and are choosing suppliers for a July 2027 launch.
4. **Line up certification evidence** for the products you plan to supply.
5. **Publish your Finland position** where operators will look for it: a market page, licence status, and a dated FAQ.

## For suppliers: the content window

By late October 2026 there were 79 operator applications, which means dozens of procurement processes running at the same time, all asking the same questions about licences, certification and timelines. Suppliers that answer them in public, on a page an operator or an AI assistant can find, get onto shortlists earlier. A Finland page with your licence status, covered products and go-live process does that work before the first call. [How we build market pages for suppliers](https://roteiro.consulting/services/comparison-page-engine)

## FAQ

**Do B2B suppliers need a licence in Finland?**
Yes, if they develop, supply, install or adapt gambling software used by licensed operators. The gambling software licence covers that role. Applications open on 1 July 2027, and from 1 July 2028 licensed operators may only use software from licensed suppliers.

**When can suppliers apply?**
From 1 July 2027, when the new Finnish Supervisory Agency takes over licensing from the National Police Board. Operator applications have been open since 1 March 2026, so operators are choosing suppliers before the supplier window opens.

**Does an aggregator need its own licence?**
Commentary suggests yes when it delivers a studio's product to operators, even with minimal changes, while a subcontractor doing a limited task may not. The Act and Agency guidance decide; check your specific role with Finnish counsel.

**What does the software licence cost?**
Borenius lists the gambling software licence fee as €1,500. Operator licence applications carry a separate, higher fee. Confirm current fees with the Supervisory Agency when applications open.

**Who regulates the Finnish market?**
The National Police Board until 30 June 2027, then the new Finnish Supervisory Agency from 1 July 2027.

## Sources

1. Borenius, "Finland's Gambling Act Reform: A Practical Guide to the New Licensing Regime", 28 May 2026. https://www.borenius.com/insights/2026/05/28/finlands-gambling-act-reform-a-practical-guide-to-the-new-licensing-regime/
2. Finnish Police, "Gambling" and "Licences under the Gambling Act". https://poliisi.fi/en/gambling · https://poliisi.fi/en/licences-under-the-gambling-act (primary; not opened from the build session, check before publishing)
3. iGaming Business, "Finland in focus: Licensing window opens for Europe's newest market". https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/licensing/finland-gambling-licensing-market-liberalisation/ (application and grant counts reported by iGaming Business; confirm the 26 October figures)
4. Nordia Law, "Entering Finland's New iGaming Market: What Operators Need to Know". https://nordialaw.com/entering-finlands-new-igaming-market-what-operators-need-to-know/
5. iGamingExpert, "Nordic Law: Where is Finland's regulation heading?". https://igamingexpert.com/news/affiliates/nordic-law-finland-regulation/
6. Mondaq, "Finland's Gambling Market Reform: Key Points". https://www.mondaq.com/gaming/1770406/finlands-gambling-market-reform-key-points

All accessed 3 November 2026. Corrections: corrections@roteiro.consulting

Source: https://roteiro.consulting/igaming/markets/finland (last verified 3 November 2026)