Finland’s state-owned gambling operator Veikkaus has signed a commercial partnership with streaming group Viaplay to launch a new consumer brand, Viabet, in Finland and Denmark from 1 July 2027. The deal marks Veikkaus’s first move into a consumer gambling market outside its home country, timed to coincide with the opening of Finland’s licensed market to competition.
What happened
Veikkaus OY aims to launch its new Viabet gambling brand in Denmark and Finland on 1 July 2027, marking the state-owned operator’s first move into international iGaming markets.
Previously, Veikkaus’s overseas involvement was concentrated through its B2B subsidiary, Fennica Gaming, established in 2022, which exports Finnish gaming technology and services to customers across 21 countries.
Viabet represents its first consumer-facing push abroad.
The expansion will be supported by a commercial partnership with Viaplay’s Finnish sports and entertainment OTT platform, combining the broadcaster’s sports content and market expertise with the tech and operations of Veikkaus’ B2B division Fennica Gaming.
Under the agreement, Viabet will use selected Viaplay media content alongside Veikkaus’ capabilities in gambling, customer experience and player protection.
Veikkaus will also contribute sports data and analytics to support Viaplay’s coverage.
Chief executive Olli Sarekoski described the agreement as
“a significant strategic step for Veikkaus and a concrete demonstration of how we are advancing our international growth goals”
, adding that it would help the company
“build a distinctive offering, improve our competitiveness in the open market and create a stronger foundation for a scalable international consumer business”
.
He also described the Viaplay partnership as not an individual commercial project, but a strategic investment in Veikkaus’ future.
Viaplay operates a subscription video-on-demand platform in Finland and Denmark and holds broadcasting rights to leagues including the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, the Danish 3F Superliga, the German Bundesliga, NHL, and Formula 1.
The agreement extends an existing relationship between the companies to promote Finnish pro-sports leagues and fixtures to new audiences.
On the Danish side,
Viaplay Denmark CEO Lars Bo Jeppesen said the operator had demonstrated both the ambition and expertise required to compete in Denmark, identifying responsible gambling as a central consideration in the partnership.
The July 2027 date is a corporate target rather than confirmation of regulatory clearance.
The 1 July 2027 date is a planned corporate launch rather than evidence that operations have already been authorised, and Veikkaus’ release does not state that a Danish B2C licence application has been filed or approved.
A Danish regulator list last updated on 20 August 2026 did not show Veikkaus, Viabet or Fennica Gaming among licensed gambling operators.
Why it matters
The Viabet launch is significant because it shows a legacy state monopoly actively building a competitive consumer brand rather than simply defending domestic turf.
Finland’s Parliament adopted the new Gambling Act and related legislation on 16 December 2025, and licence applications have been permitted since 1 March 2026.
That reform ends Veikkaus’s historic exclusivity over much of the Finnish market and forces it to compete directly with international operators entering under licence.
Pairing the launch with a major streaming and sports-rights holder points to a distribution strategy built around media reach rather than pure performance marketing. For operators and affiliates, the tie-up signals that content and broadcast partnerships are becoming a more prominent customer-acquisition channel in markets opening to competition, alongside traditional search and affiliate traffic. Brands entering Finland and Denmark alongside Viabet will be competing against a rival with built-in sports-audience access through Viaplay’s subscriber base.
The bigger picture
The move fits a wider pattern of Nordic gambling monopolies repositioning as commercial, internationally minded groups as their home markets liberalise.
The move hinges on a major change in Finland’s gambling market, which will open up to licensed competitors next summer.
Veikkaus already has international commercial reach through Fennica Gaming, and Viabet extends that ambition into direct consumer operations for the first time.
Veikkaus has for many years held a monopoly over large parts of the Finnish gambling market, but as Finland opens up to competition in 2027, a wholly new reality awaits the state-owned giant.
The Viabet launch suggests the operator intends to compete offensively rather than retreat into a shrinking protected niche, a strategy that will be watched closely by other state operators across the region facing similar liberalisation pressure. The development follows recent Finnish licensing activity covered on this site, including ComeOn and SuomiVeto gaining approval to operate in the newly opened market.
Sources
- SBC News – Veikkaus targets Denmark launch via new Viabet brand in July 2027
- iGaming Business – Veikkaus and Viaplay partner for first overseas B2C venture
- iGaming Express – Veikkaus Plans Viabet Denmark Launch
- Gaming Intelligence – Veikkaus partners Viaplay to launch new gaming brand in Finland and Denmark
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