Play North has announced that its subsidiary Play Suomi has been granted a five-year gambling licence by Finland’s National Police Board.
The group said licence RALU/2027/L121 would be valid from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032, aligning with the planned opening of Finland’s competitive online gambling market.
The company described the approval as its third major regulatory milestone of 2026. It follows the granting of a Portuguese online gambling licence for Vincino.pt and a five-year renewal of the Dutch licence for Kansino.nl.
Commenting on the development, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Greg Papanastasiou stated: "Three licences secured is a fantastic achievement for the group and Play North and a testament to our rigorous compliance and dedication to fully regulated jurisdictions.
"With our Finnish licence now granted, we are further strengthening our robust regulatory footprint, ensuring that player protection, safety and responsible gambling remain at the very heart of everything we do."
Finland’s licensing reform will allow approved operators to offer online casino games and betting alongside Veikkaus from July 2027. Until then, the existing monopoly remains in place in mainland Finland.
Finland had received 75 licence applications by 22 September, according to the National Police Board. Since then, preparations have included Veikkaus and Viaplay’s planned Viabet launch in July 2027.
Additionally, health and consumer authorities THL and KKV have called for stronger safeguards, including a higher minimum gambling age and tighter marketing restrictions.
Finland’s separate licensing requirement for gambling software suppliers is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2028
