Hippos ATG says it has received a Finnish gambling licence as the country prepares to open betting and online casino games to multiple operators on 1 July 2027.
The award, announced on 19 October, gives the Helsinki-based operator a route to market, subject to technical and supervisory requirements before launch.
The licence covers horseracing wagers, sports betting and online casino games. Hippos ATG expects to offer its betting products when the new regime begins. It has not announced a separate launch date for casino games.
The operator is owned equally by Swedish betting group AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) and Finnish horseracing body Suomen Hippos.
ATG has operated in Sweden since 1974 and Denmark since 2019. Hippos ATG says its profit-distribution model will direct 60% of profits towards Finnish horseracing and breeding.
The operator has been developing responsible-gambling, anti-money-laundering, cybersecurity and internal-control processes to meet the conditions of Finland's new law.
Veikkaus retains its exclusive right to provide gambling services in mainland Finland until 30 June 2027. Under the reform, betting, online slots, online casino and online bingo will open to competition.
Veikkaus will keep exclusive rights to lotteries, scratch cards, physical slot machines and land-based casino games.
The National Police Board is receiving licence applications and supervising gambling during the transition. Its guidance says a granted licence alone does not permit an operator to begin offering or marketing games.
Required audits and integration with the supervisory system must also be completed. Licensing and supervision will pass to the Finnish Supervisory Agency from July 2027.
For Hippos ATG, the licence moves the project into its pre-launch phase while the existing monopoly remains in force. The operator has identified Finland as an extension of ATG's Nordic horseracing and betting business, with Suomen Hippos contributing knowledge of the domestic racing sector.
The profit arrangement also ties the venture's future returns to Finnish horseracing funding.
In March, Hippos ATG submitted its Finnish licence application, when the National Police Board's review and technical integration process was expected to take around 10 months.
Finland's new regime leaves physical slot machines and land-based casino games within Veikkaus' exclusive remit
