Veikkaus is stepping up its support of local sport through an extended partnership with the Finnish Football Association.
The new deal will see Finland’s state-owned gaming operator continue as a betting partner of top Finnish football leagues, such as Veikkausliiga men’s division and Kansallisen Liiga women’s division, as well as the men’s and women’s national football teams, now until 2030.
Veikkaus CEO, Olli Sarekoski, described the agreement as both important and meaningful to the brand, which is preparing for the increasingly likely dissolution of its monopoly over betting in Finland.
“Veikkaus and Finnish football share a long history, and that continues,” he said. “Finnish football is on the rise, and together with the Football Association, we can offer Finns powerful emotions and memorable experiences.
“We are excited about the coming years. Our cooperation will deepen further through this new partnership.”
The operator will continue to offer a range of betting markets on Finnish football through its Vakio 1, Pitkävedossa, Live-vedossa, Tulosvedossa, Monivedossa and Voittajavedoissa games.
The news comes as Veikkaus looks to strengthen its offering ahead of facing competition for the very first time – though it is important to note that the operator has been vocal in calling for market reform in Finland as a way to better fight the black market.
Legislators are looking to open Finland’s gambling sector to new operators and dismantle Veikkaus’ monopoly on the market following the proposal of the Finnish Gambling Act, likely in either 2026 or 2027.
Getting ahead of the game, Veikkaus also recently partnered with OpenBet for the launch of its new sports betting platform, leveraging the London-based sportsbook technology provider’s proprietary platform, as well as its Managed Trading Services.
Runa Walia Desai, Chief Customer Experience Officer at OpenBet, said: “Our technology ensures Veikkaus stays not only compliant, but competitive and future-ready, with a modern platform built for long-term success.”
In other news, Veikkaus has this month appointed Jyri Lassi as General Counsel. The firm identified its new appointee’s international technology sector experience as particularly useful, as the company prepares to compete against aforementioned new licensed operators.
The link between football and betting remains strong in Finland, with the most obvious example being found in the name of the national league. The Finnish football league, known as Veikkausliiga, was rebranded in 1990 from main sponsor Veikkaus.
There are also several Finnish football clubs that have formed partnerships with gambling companies as a way to sponsor games and teams. However, with such regulatory changes nearing, time will tell how these connections will evolve.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel!
