Veikkaus And Viaplay Partner On Viabet For Danish Launch In July 2027
Veikkaus, Finland's state-owned gambling operator, has signed a commercial agreement with Viaplay Denmark and Viaplay Finland to launch Viabet, a new gaming brand that Veikkaus will develop, own and operate in Finland and Denmark from July 1, 2027.
The company announced the deal on October 29, 2026, in a press release. Viabet will be Veikkaus's first business-to-consumer venture outside Finland.
Veikkaus said the partnership supports its ambition to build a "scalable, competitive and responsible consumer business" beyond its home market.
Viaplay Sports Content Anchors The Offer
Under the agreement, Veikkaus will combine agreed elements of Viaplay's selected media content with its own expertise in gaming, technology, customer experience and responsible play.
Veikkaus's sports data and analytics expertise will in turn add insights to Viaplay's sports coverage, giving viewers a deeper understanding of the sports they watch.
Veikkaus argued that content plays a key role in customer appeal and competitiveness in sports betting.
It said Viaplay brings sports-content expertise and a strong market understanding in both Finland and Denmark.
For Viaplay, the company described the agreement as a significant opportunity to leverage its sports brand by partnering with a state-owned operator with extensive gaming experience and a commitment to responsible play.
Lars Bo Jeppesen, chief executive of Viaplay Denmark, said it had been clear from the first meeting that Veikkaus has "bold ambitions and the expertise to succeed in the Danish market, with responsibility at the heart of its plans". He cited Viaplay's portfolio of live sports and the programming around it.
Mikael Svensson, chief executive of Viaplay Finland, noted that the two companies already work together on Finnish sports production and said the new agreement expands that relationship.
Veikkaus Takes Its First Consumer Step Abroad
Veikkaus began its international push in 2022 through its business-to-business subsidiary Fennica Gaming, which it says exports Finnish gaming expertise, technology and digital gaming solutions to customers in 21 countries.
Viabet enters consumer markets outside Finland for the first time.
Jonas Reuter, Veikkaus's executive vice president for international business, said Viabet "allows us to turn that expertise into a scalable consumer business in selected markets".
The first overseas market is Denmark, where the regulated gambling market is already open to licensed operators.
The release does not say whether Veikkaus has applied for a Danish licence or give details on the Viabet product line-up. Neither company disclosed financial terms of the agreement.
Finland's Market Opening Shapes The Strategy
The move comes as Finland prepares to end Veikkaus's monopoly. Finland's gambling market will open up to licensed competitors in July 2027, as Yle noted in its coverage of the announcement.
Olli Sarekoski, Veikkaus's president and chief executive, said Viabet will help the company "improve our competitiveness in the open market".
Reuters said the opening of the Finnish market "creates a significant growth opportunity for Veikkaus", and that the company sees clear international demand for its expertise.
Finland's licensing process is already under way, with the National Police Board granting its first online gambling licences ahead of the July 2027 opening.
Viabet is due to launch in both countries on July 1, 2027. Viaplay Denmark's Jeppesen said Viaplay looks forward to "making it a success" from that date.
