Veikkaus to Launch Viabet in Finland and Denmark With Viaplay

Author:

02.11.2026

Veikkaus will launch Viabet with Viaplay in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027, its first gambling brand abroad, as Finland's market opens.

News card: Veikkaus plans Viabet for Finland and Denmark, with a calendar marking the 1 July 2027 launch day.

Key facts

Veikkaus, Finland's state-owned gambling company, will launch Viabet, a new gambling brand, in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027. It announced the plan on 29 October 2026, with a commercial agreement with Viaplay Finland and Viaplay Denmark, the local arms of the streaming company Viaplay.

Veikkaus develops, owns and operates Viabet; Viaplay is the commercial partner
Launch date: 1 July 2027, the day Finland's betting and online casino market opens to licensed competition
Viabet is Veikkaus' first consumer business outside Finland
No financial terms or product list have been published
On 2 November 2026, the Danish Gambling Authority's list of licensed operators did not include Veikkaus or Viabet

What is Viabet?

Viabet is a gambling brand that Veikkaus develops, owns and operates itself, according to Veikkaus' press release of 29 October 2026. It launches in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027 under a commercial agreement with Viaplay Finland and Viaplay Denmark. Viaplay does not own or run it.

Under the agreement, Viabet will use agreed parts of Viaplay's selected media content, combined with Veikkaus' own work on games, technology, customer experience and responsible play. In return, Veikkaus' sports data and analytics will add insights to Viaplay's sports coverage.

The release ties the deal to sports betting, where it says content plays a key role in winning customers. It does not say whether Viabet will also offer online casino games, and it gives no financial terms.

Why is Veikkaus expanding outside Finland?

Until now Veikkaus has worked abroad only as a supplier. Its business-to-business subsidiary, through which it has worked internationally since 2022, sells Finnish gaming expertise, technology and digital gaming solutions to customers in 21 countries. Viabet is its first consumer business outside Finland.

"Viabet is a significant strategic step for Veikkaus and a concrete demonstration of how we are advancing our international growth ambitions," said Olli Sarekoski, Veikkaus' President and CEO.

The timing follows the change at home. Veikkaus' monopoly on online betting and casino games runs until the end of June 2027, and Jonas Reuter, who leads its international business, said the opening of the Finnish market "creates a significant growth opportunity for Veikkaus".

For Viaplay, the release says, the deal is a way to make more of its sports brand. Lars Bo Jeppesen, CEO of Viaplay Denmark, said Veikkaus has "bold ambitions and the expertise to succeed in the Danish market". Mikael Svensson, CEO of Viaplay Finland, said the two companies already work together in Finnish sports production.

How does Viabet fit Finland's market opening?

From 1 July 2027, betting and online casino games in Finland open to companies that hold a licence under the new Gambling Act. Veikkaus keeps its exclusive right to lotteries, scratch cards, and gaming machines and casino games in physical venues.

The National Police Board, which grants licences until the end of June 2027, said in a release in Finnish on 29 October that it had granted the first 18 licences and was processing 63 more applications. On 26 October it had confirmed 12 licences from 79 applications to iGaming Business, the count in our report on the first licences. The licences run from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032 unless the decision says otherwise.

None of the 18 licences went to a Veikkaus company, European Gaming reported from the board's list. Veikkaus has applied for a licence to keep offering online games once competition starts, iGaming Business reported, and no decision on that application has been published.

A licence alone does not let a company take bets. Holders can offer and market games from 1 July 2027 at the earliest, once the required audits are done and they have connected to the regulator's supervision system. Until then, Veikkaus is the only company allowed to offer gambling in mainland Finland.

Viabet's Finnish launch therefore lands on the first day of competition, next to the new licence holders. The release does not say which licence Viabet will run under in Finland. The background to the reform is in our article on the market opening.

Does Viabet need a Danish licence?

Yes, to take bets from players in Denmark. Online casino games and betting are among the games that need a licence from the Danish Gambling Authority (Spillemyndigheden), and its list of licensed operators runs to 93 entries, from international online operators to local bingo clubs.

We checked that list on 2 November 2026. It does not include Veikkaus, Viabet or Viaplay. The page says it was last updated on 20 August 2026, more than two months before the announcement.

The Veikkaus release does not say whether the company has applied for a Danish licence, and the Viaplay quotes do not mention one. Viabet will need to appear on that list before it can legally serve players in Denmark.

What does Viabet mean for players?

Nothing changes for players before July 2027. Viabet is not due to open until 1 July, and a launch date is a plan, not a licence.

In Finland, a legal site must show its licence number from that date, and the National Police Board publishes the list of licence holders on its website. A licence from another EU country does not count in Finland.

In Denmark, players can check any brand against the Danish Gambling Authority's list. Through ROFUS, the authority's self-exclusion register, they can take a break from online gambling, land-based casinos and shop betting in Denmark, starting with a 24-hour pause.

Betting is entertainment with a built-in margin for the operator, whichever licensed brand runs it. Deposit and time limits set before a match starts are easier to keep than ones set during it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Veikkaus, Finland's state-owned gambling company. It develops, owns and operates Viabet itself. Viaplay Finland and Viaplay Denmark are commercial partners: they supply agreed parts of Viaplay's selected media content, and Veikkaus supplies sports data and analytics for Viaplay's coverage in return.

On 1 July 2027, in Finland and Denmark at the same time. That is the day Finland's betting and online casino market opens to licensed companies. Viabet is not due to open before then, and until that date Veikkaus remains the only company allowed to offer gambling in mainland Finland.

Not according to the public record. On 2 November 2026 the Danish Gambling Authority's list of licensed operators did not include Veikkaus, Viabet or Viaplay, and Veikkaus' release does not say whether it has applied. A brand needs a Danish licence to offer online betting or casino games to players in Denmark.

Not as of 29 October 2026. By then the National Police Board had granted 18 licences, and none went to a Veikkaus company, European Gaming reported. Veikkaus has applied, according to iGaming Business, and no decision has been published. It keeps its exclusive right to lotteries, scratch cards and land-based gaming machines either way.

Veikkaus has not said. Its release links the Viaplay deal to sports betting and calls Viabet a gaming brand, but it publishes no product list. Whatever it offers in Finland or Denmark will need a licence from that country's regulator.

Author

Daniel Kovacs

|Casino Guru

Daniel Kovacs is a seasoned online casino reviewer known for his analytical approach and no-nonsense writing style. With a background in digital marketing and a long-standing interest in probability and game mechanics, he built his reputation by breaking down complex casino systems into clear, practical insights for everyday players. He started his career freelancing for niche gambling blogs before launching his own review platform, where he focuses on transparency—testing bonuses, verifying payout speeds, and digging into terms that most players overlook. Daniel is particularly respected for his deep dives into slot RTPs, customer support responsiveness, and real user experiences.