Finland's National Police Board has received 75 gambling licence applications as preparations continue for the country's transition from its existing monopoly system to a partially competitive market.
The figure, reported by Yle as of 22 September, represents a further increase in operator interest since June, when the National Police Board said it had received 50 applications.
No applications have yet been approved, while the regulator currently lists a target processing period of six to eight months.
Applications opened on 1 March under transitional provisions in Finland's new Gambling Act. The initial months accounted for a significant proportion of submissions, with 24 applications received in March and another 23 in May.
There is no application deadline and legislation does not impose a limit on the number of gambling licence holders.
The licensing framework covers products including fixed-odds betting, variable-odds betting, virtual betting, online casino games, online cash bingo and online slots.
Each gambling licence application carries a €29,000 ($34,200) processing fee in 2026 and licences can be granted for a maximum of five years.
The licensing process is taking place more than nine months before the competitive market begins. Veikkaus retains the exclusive right to provide and market gambling in mainland Finland until the end of June 2027.
Licensed operators will be able to begin offering and marketing permitted products from 1 July 2027, subject to completing required audits and integration with the regulatory supervision system.
The increase in applications coincides with operators preparing their commercial strategies ahead of the opening. Unibet has applied for a licence and has agreed a partnership with Superpesis covering Finland's men's and women's top-tier pesäpallo competitions. Yle reported that Unibet's application, submitted in May, remains pending.
Regulatory responsibility will also change when the market opens. The National Police Board will remain responsible for licensing and supervision until 30 June 2027, after which those responsibilities will transfer to the Finnish Supervisory Agency.
Global Gaming Insider previously reported on the powers assigned to Finland's incoming gambling regulator, including the ability to issue penalty fees, revoke licences and order the removal of illegal online content.
Gambling software suppliers will face a separate licensing requirement from 1 July 2028, with applications opening through the Finnish Supervisory Agency from July 2027
