Poliisihallitus — Gambling Administration (Arpajaishallinto)
Finland's gambling licensing authority until 30 June 2027, handing over to the Finnish Supervisory Agency
Last verified: 2026-09-28
The National Police Board licenses and supervises gambling in Finland through its Gambling Administration, taking applications for the new Gambling Act licences from 1 March 2026 until the Finnish Supervisory Agency takes over on 1 July 2027.
Poliisihallitus — Gambling Administration (Arpajaishallinto)
Overview
Gambling licensing and supervision in Finland currently sits with the National Police Board (Poliisihallitus), through its Gambling Administration (Arpajaishallinto), which supervises gambling under sections 42 and 43 of the Lotteries Act. Since 1 March 2026 it has also taken applications for the licences created by the new Gambling Act, charging a processing fee of EUR 29,000 per application in 2026 with a target processing time of six to eight months and no application deadline. By 8 June 2026 it had received 50 applications, most from foreign companies.
From 1 July 2027, licensing and supervision under the Gambling Act pass to a newly created Finnish Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto), established as part of a wider state regional administration reform (HE 13/2025 vp, submitted to Parliament 13 March 2025). The Ministry of Finance has separately run a project since October 2024 to build the information systems and organisation the new licensing and supervision model needs.
Licence application process, fee and application figures. [1]
Handover of licensing and supervision to the Finnish Supervisory Agency on 1 July 2027. [2]
Applications received
National Police Board release; mostly foreign applicants.
Key facts
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Verified
The Ministry of Finance runs a project (VM168:00/2024, 17 October 2024 to 31 December 2026) preparing the information systems and organisation for licensing and supervision under the new gambling system.
Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), Valtiovarainministeriö (Ministry of Finance)
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Verified
Until 30 June 2027 the National Police Board is the competent licensing authority; from 1 July 2027 licensing and supervision under the Gambling Act pass to the new Finnish Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto).
Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), Poliisihallitus (National Police Board)
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Verified
The National Police Board charged a processing fee of EUR 29,000 per gambling licence application in 2026, invoiced after receipt and payable before processing begins; there is no application deadline (the application process is continuous) and the Police now give a target processing time of six to eight months and warn that it may take longer (about six months was stated as of 8 June 2026).
Poliisihallitus (National Police Board), Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), Poliisihallitus (National Police Board)
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Verified
As of 8 June 2026 the National Police Board's Gambling Administration had received 50 gambling licence applications, most of them from foreign applicants.
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Verified
Licences granted before 1 July 2027 do not allow licensed gambling in Finland before that date: the first gambling licences take effect on 1 July 2027, when licensed companies can begin operations.
Poliisihallitus (National Police Board), Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior)
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Verified
The National Police Board assesses an applicant's reliability and suitability from submitted documents such as registry extracts, certificates and statements, and may request additional information, for example on the finances of companies connected to the applicant.
Poliisihallitus (National Police Board), Poliisihallitus (National Police Board)
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Verified
The National Police Board issued regulation 8/2026, Rahapelilain mukaisten toimilupien hakeminen (applying for licences under the Gambling Act), dated 11 February 2026.
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Verified
Unlawful operation and marketing of gambling is a criminal offence (gambling offence, rahapelirikos) under the Criminal Code, punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to two years, according to the National Police Board.
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Verified
Since the start of 2023 the National Police Board can impose payment-traffic blocks on companies that received a prohibition decision on gambling marketing contrary to the Lotteries Act; payment service providers must block payments (such as transfers, card payments and direct debits) to the companies on the Board's list, and the Board can prohibit a provider from executing gambling payments, backed by a conditional fine.
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Verified
In September 2025 the National Police Board prohibited unlawful gambling marketing by two social media influencers and ordered one influencer to pay a previously imposed conditional fine after continuing despite a prohibition; the Board described the activity as affiliate marketing by gambling companies aimed at consumers in Mainland Finland.
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Verified
From 1 July 2027 the supervisory authority can impose administrative fines (rikemaksu) and penalty payments (seuraamusmaksu) on licence holders, withdraw a licence, ban the running or marketing of gambling games with a conditional fine, and order removal of unlawful online content or of a domain name from the domain-name register; it must publish decisions on injunctions, fines, penalty payments and licence withdrawals.
Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), Valtioneuvosto / Finlex
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Verified
The supervisory authority's tools include technical monitoring of games and player-account transactions, a broad right of access to information and inspection, and annual reports from licence holders; licence holders must have their game systems and draw methods audited by a third-party assessment body, and gambling services are subject to money-laundering legislation.
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Verified
The National Police Board's Gambling Administration supervises gambling under sections 42 and 43 of the Lotteries Act, and its supervision of gambling marketing has largely concentrated on countering marketing by companies outside the exclusive-right system.
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Verified
The Finnish Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto) becomes the licensing and supervisory authority under the Gambling Act on 1 July 2027, with the National Police Board acting as licensing authority until 30 June 2027; the Finnish Government sent the bill on the state regional administration reform and the founding of the Lupa- ja valvontavirasto (HE 13/2025 vp) to Parliament on 13 March 2025.
Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), Valtioneuvosto (Finnish Government)
Sources
- Poliisihallitus (National Police Board)Primary source — Rahapelitoimiluvat kiinnostavat rahapeliyhtiöitä (8 June 2026) — https://poliisi.fi/-/rahapelitoimiluvat-kiinnostavat-rahapeliyhtioita
- Sisäministeriö (Ministry of the Interior)Primary source — Questions and answers on gambling system reform — https://intermin.fi/en/projects/reform-of-the-gambling/questions-and-answers