Malta-based Wildz Group has announced that it has cleared the licensing process in Finland. According to the operator, the approval came before Finland’s National Police Board published an official list of operators authorised to enter the market.
Finland is preparing to end the European Union’s last major online gambling monopoly. Following the adoption of the new Gambling Act in January 2026, the country’s licensed market is scheduled to open to private operators on 1 July 2027. On 15 October 2026, Wildz Group announced that it had received an official letter from Finland’s National Police Board. According to the company, the document grants it permission to offer gambling services to Finnish players for five years from the market’s launch.
Wildz Group Announces Five-Year Approval
Wildz Group said it received an official authorisation letter from Finland’s National Police Board on 15 October 2026, allowing it to provide gambling services to Finnish players for five years starting on 1 July 2027. The date marks the planned opening of the country’s licensed market to private operators.
The company claims to be the first iGaming operator to receive such approval. The announcement could mark an early milestone in the licensing process, although the regulator has yet to independently confirm the information.
Finland’s National Police Board has not yet published decisions on individual operator applications. Therefore, the information about Wildz Group’s approval is currently based solely on the company’s own announcement.
Finland Opens Its Gambling Market: Background and Competition
Finland’s transition to a licensing system for online gambling will mark the final stage in the dismantling of state gambling monopolies across the European Union. Denmark introduced similar changes in 2012, followed by Sweden in 2019. Finland is now preparing to become the last EU member state to end its online gambling monopoly.
On 16 December 2025, the Finnish Parliament passed the new Gambling Act, with 158 votes in favour and nine against. The president signed the legislation on 16 January 2026. Applications for licences opened on 1 March 2026. The National Police Board will oversee licensing until the end of June 2027, when responsibility will transfer to the Finnish Supervisory Agency.
Interest in entering the Finnish market has exceeded initial expectations. By September 2026, the National Police Board had received 75 licence applications, up from 50 in June. Industry observers had initially forecast between 40 and 60 applications.
Each applicant must pay a non-refundable application processing fee of €29,000 ($33,700). Under the new framework, Veikkaus Oy will retain its monopoly over lotteries, scratch cards and land-based casino gaming. Online casino and sports betting services, meanwhile, will move to a competitive market in which operators must obtain the relevant licences.
Wildz Group’s Brands and Finnish Connections
Wildz Group operates several online casino brands, including Wildz, Caxino, Wheelz, Spinz, Chipz, Tuplaus and Blingi, alongside its Wildz Sports sportsbook. The group is based in Malta and holds licences from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and Germany. It was founded by Finnish professionals with experience in the online gambling industry. Sam Brown has served as the company’s CEO since 2023.
Commenting on the approval, Brown said: ‘Receiving the amazing news of being the first operator to receive a licence in Finland is a welcome reward for all the efforts of the team in the application process. We’re excited about this milestone and what it represents for the future of Wildz Group. We believe that our brands will offer players in Finland a safe and engaging entertainment product for many years to come. We’re looking forward to July 2027.’
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