Finland sends draft gambling regulation to European Commission

Finland has confirmed that horserace betting will fall under the country’s upcoming commercial gambling system.

The Ministry of the Interior sent the draft regulation to the European Commission for approval on Friday.

The government department also confirmed that it intends to open up Finland’s commercial gambling model by no later than January 1, 2026.

As well as horserace betting, operators can obtain a licence for betting, online casino and online bingo.

Veikkaus, which is currently the state-owned operator in Finland, will retain the exclusive right to lottery, betting games and physical ATMs and casino games.

“The purpose of the procedure [of sending the draft regulation to the European Commission] is to get possible feedback from the Commission and other EU member states on the proposal’s consistency with EU legislation and the principles of free movement,” the Ministry of the Interior said.

The government’s proposal is to be presented to the parliament in the spring session of 2025.