Veikkaus to Launch Viabet With Viaplay in Finland and Denmark, Its First Consumer Brand Abroad
Veikkaus will launch Viabet with Viaplay in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027, its first consumer brand abroad, as Finland grants its first licenses.
Veikkaus, Finland's state-owned gambling company, said on 29 October 2026 that it will launch a new consumer brand called Viabet in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027, through a commercial agreement with the streaming and sports broadcaster Viaplay. It is the first time Veikkaus will take players directly in a market outside Finland, and the launch is timed for the day its home monopoly on online betting and casino ends.
Veikkaus will develop, own and run Viabet. Viaplay Denmark and Viaplay Finland bring agreed elements of their sports media content; in return, Veikkaus says its sports data and analytics work will add insight to Viaplay's coverage. Chief executive Olli Sarekoski called the brand "a significant strategic step for Veikkaus."
What Veikkaus and Viaplay agreed
The deal gives Veikkaus a sports brand with a media partner behind it in two Nordic markets. Veikkaus's announcement focuses on sports betting, where it says sports content helps attract customers. It does not list casino products for Viabet.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Viabet (new) |
| Owner and operator | Veikkaus |
| Partners | Viaplay Denmark and Viaplay Finland |
| Markets | Finland and Denmark |
| Launch | 1 July 2027 |
| Viaplay's role | Agreed elements of sports media content |
| Veikkaus's role | Gaming, technology, customer experience, responsible play, sports data |
Veikkaus and Viaplay already work together. In 2024 the two signed a multi-year sports partnership in Finland covering Premier League, NHL and other rights. Viaplay Finland CEO Mikael Svensson said the company was "proud to support Veikkaus' ambitions for Viabet," while Viaplay Denmark CEO Lars Bo Jeppesen said the partners aim to make it work "from July 1st 2027."
From B2B exports to its own brand abroad
Viabet is Veikkaus's first business-to-consumer offer outside Finland. The company began working abroad in 2022 through Fennica Gaming, a B2B subsidiary that sells Finnish gaming technology and digital games to other operators. Veikkaus says Fennica now has customers in 21 countries.
Jonas Reuter, Veikkaus's executive vice president for international business, said: "We see clear international demand for our expertise." Veikkaus has spent the past two years rebuilding its products for open competition, including a new sportsbook on the OpenBet platform.
Finland's market opens on the same day
The 1 July 2027 date is not a coincidence. Under Finland's new gambling law, companies that hold a Finnish license may offer and market sports betting and online casino games from that day, ending Veikkaus's exclusive rights in those products. The government set out the plan in 2024, when it confirmed it would launch a liberalized market by 2027.
The National Police Board, which handles gambling licensing until supervision moves to the new Licensing and Supervisory Agency in July 2027, announced its first licenses on 29 October.
| Licensing status (29 October 2026) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Companies granted a license | 18 |
| Applications still being processed | 63 |
| License period | Mainly to 30 June 2032 |
| Earliest start of offering and marketing | 1 July 2027 |
iGaming Business, citing the Police Board, reported 79 applications and 12 licenses as of 26 October; the Police Board's 29 October update raised the number of licensed companies to 18, Yle reported. Veikkaus has applied but was not among the companies granted a license so far, according to the license tracker Rahapelilaki.fi. Veikkaus keeps its monopoly over lotteries, scratchcards and land-based gaming machines.
Whether the state operator can hold its share against foreign brands has been debated since the reform was first proposed. Gamingo looked at that question in Can Veikkaus compete in Finland's liberalized gambling market?, and public health researchers have criticized the online market plans.
Industry groups prepare for competition
Operators are also organizing ahead of the opening. Paf, the Åland-based operator, has joined the Finnish Gaming Association (Rahapeliala ry), the trade body whose members already include Veikkaus, GamblingNews reported. The association's CEO, Mika Kuismanen, said: "I am convinced that we are stronger together." Speakers at the association's Helsinki seminar called for blocking the illegal market and for gaming limits that apply to every licensed company.
The Danish side
Denmark has had a licensed online market since 2012, regulated by the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden). Viabet will need a Danish license to take bets there. Veikkaus's announcement did not say whether it has applied, so the Danish launch date depends on that process. In Denmark, Viabet will compete with established operators in a market where the regulator has consulted on new rules for gambling data.
Status reviewed on 29 October 2026. Launch details are from Veikkaus's announcement; license figures are from Finland's National Police Board as reported by Yle. More business news and EMEA coverage.
Frequently asked questions
What is Viabet?
Viabet is a new gambling brand that Finland's state-owned operator Veikkaus will develop, own and operate. It is built on a commercial agreement with Viaplay Denmark and Viaplay Finland, which lets Veikkaus use agreed elements of Viaplay's sports media content. Veikkaus says it will launch in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027 and will focus on sports betting.
When does Viabet launch?
Veikkaus says Viabet will go live in both Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027. That is the same day Finland's new licensing system takes effect, when companies holding a Finnish license may start offering and marketing sports betting and online casino games to Finnish players for the first time.
Is Viabet Veikkaus's first business outside Finland?
It is its first consumer brand outside Finland, but not its first foreign business. Veikkaus started its international push in 2022 through Fennica Gaming, a business-to-business subsidiary that sells Finnish gaming technology, expertise and digital games. Veikkaus says Fennica Gaming now has customers in 21 countries.
How many companies have a Finnish gambling license?
Finland's National Police Board said on 29 October 2026 that 18 companies had received licenses under the new gambling law, with 63 more applications still being processed, according to the public broadcaster Yle. Most applicants are foreign companies. The licenses mainly run until 30 June 2032, and holders can start offering games from 1 July 2027.
Does Viabet need a license in Denmark?
Yes. Online betting and casino in Denmark require a license from the Danish Gambling Authority, known as Spillemyndigheden. Veikkaus's announcement did not say whether a Danish application has been filed or approved, so the Danish side of the launch depends on that process.
