The conflict highlights the immense tension within the Nordic gambling sector as Finland prepares to dismantle its state monopoly. While Veikkaus maintains its actions are lawful, the investigation by the FCCA will determine whether an incumbent can legally fortify its position against future rivals before the market even opens.
The battle for the future of the Finnish gambling market has intensified as Swedish heavyweight AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) has called upon regulators to investigate the conduct of state-owned operator Veikkaus. With Finland on the cusp of a historic legislative overhaul, ATG alleges that the incumbent is abusing its current monopoly status to sabotage future competition. A formal request has been lodged with the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) to determine if Veikkaus is breaching competition rules during this delicate transition period.
At the heart of the conflict is Finland’s plan to scrap its long-standing monopoly model in favour of an open licensing system, scheduled to go live in July 2027. Under this new Gambling Act, Veikkaus will have to compete with an estimated 50 private brands. However, ATG, through its joint venture Hippos ATG Oy, claims that Veikkaus is exploiting its final years of total control to lock down the market. The Swedish firm argues that by signing exclusive, multi-year sponsorship and cooperation deals now, Veikkaus is effectively shutting out competitors before they even have a chance to apply for a licence.
Mikael Bäcke, the chief executive of Hippos ATG, has been vocal about the perceived imbalance. He suggests that sports organisations are being pressured into long term agreements because Veikkaus remains the only legal game in town for sponsorships until the law changes. This, according to the complaint, allows the state operator to hoard key resources and partners, creating a skewed playing field for 2027.
Veikkaus has remained firm in its rebuttal of these claims. Reija Airas, the director of communications for the operator, stated that the company is in full compliance with all existing competition laws and described the allegations as entirely without merit. While the FCCA has confirmed the investigation is underway, they have yet to provide a timeline for a ruling. As the industry watches closely, the outcome of this spat could dictate the rules of engagement for how former monopolies must behave when a market finally opens its doors.
The friction between ATG and Veikkaus is a classic example of the "incumbent’s advantage" being pushed to its legal limit. In my ten years covering these shifts across Europe, I have rarely seen a transition from a monopoly to a licensed market that did not involve some level of legal posturing. ATG is clearly concerned that by the time they can legally market their services in July 2027, the most valuable real estate in Finnish sports and media will already be plastered with Veikkaus branding under ironclad contracts. This is a strategic move by ATG to ensure the regulator sets clear boundaries on "grandfathering" agreements made during a monopoly era into a competitive one.
From a regulatory standpoint, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority is in a difficult spot. On one hand, Veikkaus is a state asset that has provided billions for Finnish society, and its leadership would argue they have a fiduciary duty to prepare the business for competition. On the other hand, the very spirit of the new Gambling Act is to foster a healthy, competitive ecosystem to drive players away from the black market. If one player starts the race ten laps ahead because of legacy exclusive rights, the "channelisation" goals of the Finnish government could be at risk, as private operators may find the cost of entry too high if all major marketing channels are blocked.
Furthermore, the specific focus on horse racing is no coincidence. The partnership between ATG and Suomen Hippos represents a direct threat to the traditional heartland of Finnish betting. By alleging that Veikkaus is withdrawing cooperation on racing data and video, ATG is painting a picture of a "scorched earth" policy. If the FCCA finds that Veikkaus has indeed used its monopoly power to distort the future market, we could see a landmark ruling that forces the reopening of sponsorship tenders. This case will serve as the definitive blueprint for other European nations still clinging to the monopoly model.
