Veikkaus and Viaplay Launch Viabet Betting Brand in 2027

Finland’s state-owned gambling operator Veikkaus is preparing to expand into international consumer betting with the launch of a new brand, Viabet, in partnership with Viaplay. The service is scheduled to go live in Finland and Denmark on 1 July 2027.

The launch will coincide with the opening of Finland’s online gambling market, bringing an end to Veikkaus’ existing monopoly in the sector. The project will be developed through a commercial agreement with Viaplay Finland and Viaplay Denmark.

Under the partnership, Veikkaus will contribute its gambling technology, customer experience expertise and responsible gambling tools, while Viaplay will bring its sports media portfolio and established presence across Scandinavia.

The companies also intend to incorporate selected Viaplay content into the betting service. In return, Veikkaus will supply sports data and analytics to support Viaplay’s sports coverage.

Veikkaus President and CEO Olli Sarekoski described Viabet as an important part of the company's international growth strategy.

“Viabet is a significant strategic step for Veikkaus and a concrete demonstration of how we are advancing our international growth ambitions. Through this partnership, we can build a differentiated offering, improve our competitiveness in the open market and create a stronger foundation for scalable international consumer business based on Finnish expertise” Sarekoski said.

Mikael Svensson, CEO of Viaplay Finland, highlighted the companies’ existing relationship in Finnish sports production and welcomed the opportunity to extend their cooperation.

“We already have a great partnership with Veikkaus in our Finnish sports production, and we look forward to expanding it through this new commercial agreement. We are proud to support Veikkaus’ ambitions for Viabet with our strong sports portfolio, production expertise and knowledge of the Finnish market,” Svensson said.

Jonas Reuter, Veikkaus’ Executive Vice President of International Business, also pointed to the opportunities created by Finland’s upcoming market liberalisation.

“The opening of the Finnish money gaming market creates a significant growth opportunity for Veikkaus. We see clear international demand for our expertise and Viabet allows us to turn that expertise into a scalable consumer business in selected markets. This is an important next step in our international expansion” Reuter added.

Veikkaus prepares for Finland’s open gambling market

Until now, Veikkaus’ international activities have focused mainly on B2B operations. Its only B2G customer has been Fennica Gaming, which supplies technology services to the gambling industry across 21 countries.

Viabet represents a shift towards direct consumer betting, marking a new stage in the operator’s international development.

Meanwhile, Finland’s National Police Board has approved 12 of the 79 online gambling licence applications submitted so far. No applications have been rejected at this stage.

Veikkaus has also submitted its own application for an online gambling licence, although it has not yet appeared among the approved operators.

Despite the upcoming market changes, the company will retain its monopoly over Finnish lotteries, scratch cards and land-based gaming machines.