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Strong H1 Results Cover Veikkaus’ €1 Billion Exclusive Licence Fee

By jili tutorial · September 4, 2026

Strong H1 Results Cover Veikkaus’ €1 Billion Exclusive Licence Fee

Finland’s outgoing state monopoly operator, Veikkaus Group, has returned to growth in the first half of the year as it prepares to pay approximately €1 billion over a ten‑year period for an exclusive licence – ahead of the country’s shift to a licence‑based market in 2027.

Veikkaus Prepares for 2027 Market Launch with €1bn Fee

Licensed gambling operations in Finland’s new market are due to begin on 1 July 2027. While Veikkaus – which has fully supported the reform – will lose its exclusive rights over betting and online casino games, it will retain exclusivity over lottery and slot machine games, scratch cards, and physical table games. This privilege comes at a cost: a market‑based compensation fee of roughly €1 billion, payable over the ten‑year duration of the exclusive licence. A significant portion of the fee is expected to be paid on a front‑loaded basis by the end of this year.

Strong H1 Performance Driven by Digital Growth

Veikkaus posted year‑on‑year improvements in both sales and net profit during the six months ending 30 June. Sales revenue rose from €466.4 million to €471.3 million, while net profit increased by 2% to €234.2 million (H1 2025: €229.6 million).

Growth was largely supported by Veikkaus’ digital channels. The company reported that 64.5% of its gross gaming revenue (GGR) came from digital sources – up 3.6% year‑on‑year – with the remaining 35.5% generated through physical point‑of‑sale locations. The total number of registered accounts reached 2,672,000.

Lottery and land‑based gaming GGR held steady at €317.9 million (H1 2025: €317.5 million), while digital‑only lottery GGR grew by 9.1% year‑on‑year. Similarly, betting and iCasino GGR increased to €151.6 million (H1 2025: €146.5 million), with digital‑only GGR rising 5% year‑on‑year.

Fennica Gaming B2B Expansion Accelerates

Fennica Gaming, the international lottery and gaming B2B subsidiary of Veikkaus Group, experienced explosive growth in the first half of 2026. Revenue surged 80.6% year‑on‑year to €10.3 million (H1 2025: €5.7 million).

This growth was accompanied by major strategic activations in Canada – where provinces are beginning to consider iGaming regulations – and Italy, one of Europe’s largest lottery markets. Market expansions have also strengthened Fennica’s presence in Germany, Mexico, the Czech Republic, and Iceland. The company now delivers games across three continents and 21 markets, aligning with Veikkaus’ ambition to become a competitive international gambling company by the end of 2030.