Wildz Group says it is first operator to secure a Finnish iGaming licence ahead of July 2027 market launch

Wildz Group, a Malta-based gaming company, has announced that it is the first online operator to receive a licence for Finland's upcoming regulated iGaming market. According to the company, the authorisation comes from the Finnish National Police Board (NPB) and allows it to offer gambling products in the country for five years.

Wildz Group is behind the brands Blingi, Caxino, Chipz, Spinz, Tuplaus, Wildz and Wheelz, and it also runs an online sportsbook called Wildz Sports. The claim of being first comes from the company itself.

Finland has historically operated a monopoly model, under which Veikkaus was the only operator allowed to offer online gaming. Lawmakers have since decided to end that arrangement and open the market to international operators. The new regulated market is scheduled to launch on July 1, 2027.

Interest in the licensing round has been considerable. GamblingNews previously reported that about 75 companies had applied for a licence. The NPB has not published a list of applicants, although LeoVegas and Betsson have confirmed their interest in the Finnish market.

Wildz chief executive Sam Brown called the authorisation "amazing news" and described it as a welcome reward for his team's efforts. He said the company believes its brands will offer players in Finland a safe and engaging entertainment product for many years, and added that the company is looking forward to July 2027.

Separately, the NPB has restated that it intends to keep enforcing rules against the illegal promotion of gambling. The board said prohibition orders and conditional fines remain among the legal tools available to it, and noted that it has issued 4 prohibition orders and 6 conditional fines in 2026 so far. One of the latest entities to be penalised was MagicPoro, which is said to have targeted Finnish consumers with its marketing content.