- Companies mentioned: Kasinohai, Omnicom Media Group Finland, Sanoma, Paf
- Markets/regions: Finland
- Finland’s gambling advertising market could reach €100m in its first licensing year, with private operators entering under some of Europe’s strictest marketing rules ahead of July 2027.
With 24 operators already in the application queue for Finland’s first private B2C gambling licenses, as reported by Helsingin Sanomat in March 2026, the country’s media and advertising industries are bracing for a significant structural shift ahead of the July 2027 market opening.
According to Anna-Riikka Hovi-Taunila, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Finland, advertising for the gambling sector could bring in up to €100 million for Finnish media during the first licensing year alone, potentially making it the second-largest advertising category in the country after retail. The projection was discussed at a series of recent industry events, including a Sanoma Media B2B webinar in April and a Marketing Finland & SPOT Association seminar in March.
It comes with a significant caveat: the new Gambling Act imposes some of the strictest advertising constraints in Europe, and operators who misread the rules risk having campaigns suspended by authorities.
What the New Rules Mean in Practice
Operators may advertise their brand but may not directly promote individual casino games or products, shifting their marketing strategy toward long-term visibility-building rather than product promotion. Direct marketing communications may be sent only to players who have explicitly opted in to receive them. Telemarketing is banned entirely. Influencer marketing is prohibited, and commercial content collaborations on podcasts are currently deemed impermissible.
Bonus structures are tightly controlled. Large “deposit X, get Y” offers and tiered VIP benefits are effectively gone. Licensees may only offer moderate bonus money under standardized conditions, with a maximum wagering requirement of 5x and identical terms for all customers.
Sponsorship is limited to brand visibility; individual games may not be promoted, and there are strict restrictions on junior sports and content aimed at minors.
A Warning From Abroad
Not everyone views the opening optimistically. Christer Fahlstedt, CEO of Åland-based operator Paf, has been among the most vocal critics of Finland’s approach to the transition. Intending to apply for a mainland Finland license himself, Fahlstedt has proposed banning outdoor, television, and radio gambling advertising entirely and flagged the growth of crypto casinos as a specific risk for drawing vulnerable players outside the regulated system.
“It doesn’t end well. There is no nation that likes gambling advertising, and the Finnish population won’t appreciate the volume that’s coming,” Fahlstedt told Hufvudstadsbladet in February, 2026.
The Media Perspective
Karri Ahonen, Sales Director at Sanoma, describes the broadcaster’s role as an intermediary, controlling which environments gambling operators are permitted to advertise in, rather than simply maximising revenue. Ahonen notes that Finnish TV and radio inventory is already among the cheapest in Europe, making a moderate price increase manageable for the market. Sanoma has confirmed it will not become a casino operator itself.
What Players Will See
For Finnish players, the practical effect will be fewer visible gambling ads and tighter, more uniform bonus terms. All advertising must carry K-18 age restrictions and a responsible gambling call to action. Marketing that presents gambling as a solution to problems or implies a positive image of heavy play is explicitly prohibited.
“Players don’t switch platforms because a law changes. They switch when the licensed product earns their trust, and that takes time every market has underestimated,” says Helena Rautio, iGaming Journalist at Kasinohai.
For more information, users can visit Kasinohai
About Kasinohai.com
Kasinohai.com is one of Finland’s most established online casino comparison platforms, covering the Finnish gambling market since 2015 with a focus on responsible gambling tools, licensing verification, and player protection.
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Editor-in-chief
Antti Virtanen
Kasinohai
antti.virtanen@kasinohai.com
Editorial Commentary
Finland is the first Nordic market to open a fully privatised online gambling regime, and the advertising projections reflect the scale of that opportunity. An €100m first-year spend, in a country where TV and radio inventory is already among the cheapest in Europe, signals that operators are prepared to invest heavily in brand visibility despite tight product-level restrictions. The prohibition on influencer marketing and podcast content collaborations narrows the digital acquisition playbook considerably, at a time when Nordic regulators across the region have shown increasing willingness to act on non-compliance.
Fahlstedt’s position is the most revealing data point here. A prospective licensee calling publicly for the advertising window to be narrowed further suggests that some operators have already assessed the public backlash risk and are wary of a regulatory response if the market opens noisily. Denmark’s experience is instructive: sports betting revenue fell 46% in the months before its advertising ban took effect. Finland has designed its rules from the outset to avoid that corrective sequence. Whether the July 2027 opening delivers the projected commercial return will depend on how closely operators read the constraints, a question that European regulators have increasingly coordinated on across borders.
