Affiliate programs in Finland: what the 2027 Gambling Act changes for affiliates

Finland is moving from a state monopoly to a licensed online gambling market. For operators it is an opening. For affiliates it is mostly the opposite: the new Gambling Act does not allow affiliate marketing for licensed gambling. Here is what changes and when.

This article is an overview, not legal advice. Check the current rules with the Finnish supervisory authority or a Finnish gaming lawyer.

Key dates

• 16 January 2026 — President Alexander Stubb signed the new Gambling Act.
• 1 March 2026 — licensing provisions took effect and the regulator started accepting licence applications.
• 1 July 2027 — the licensed market opens and most of the Act applies.

By September 2026 around 75 licence applications had been reported, well above earlier expectations.

What the licensed market looks like

• Two licence types. A gambling licence covers sports betting, online casino and money bingo; a separate gambling software licence covers developing, supplying and customising game software.
• Veikkaus keeps part of its monopoly: lotteries, scratch cards and physical slot machines stay exclusive to the state operator.
• Costs. The licence application fee is €29,000. Licensed operators and Veikkaus pay the same 22% lottery tax on gross gaming revenue.
• Supervision. A new national supervisory agency handles licensing, compliance and enforcement, with fines of up to 4% of turnover, capped at €5 million.

Marketing rules — and the affiliate ban

The Act allows gambling advertising only in moderate scope and frequency. Marketing may not target minors or vulnerable people, present gambling as a solution to financial or social problems, or normalise excessive play. Direct marketing needs explicit consent.

Two rules hit affiliates directly:

• Affiliate marketing is not permitted for licensed gambling.
• Influencer-led promotions are prohibited.

Bonuses are restricted too: deposit and welcome bonuses and free-to-play offers are banned, with narrow exceptions for bonus play money wagered no more than five times.

What this means for affiliates

1. The Finnish affiliate model will not carry over into the licensed market. Operators that win a Finnish licence cannot pay you commission for Finnish players — whether RevShare, CPA or Hybrid.
2. Casino review and bonus sites aimed at Finland lose their monetisation once the Act applies, and bonus-led content will have little to promote anyway.
3. Until July 2027 the market stays under the monopoly. Several international programs still list Finland among accepted GEOs — you can see them on the Finland page of the WhoAff catalog — but expect their terms to change as brands prepare for local licensing. Re-check the restricted-country list in each program's terms before you invest in Finnish traffic.
4. Plan the exit early. If Finland is a core market for you, start moving content and traffic to GEOs where affiliate marketing remains allowed, and check each regulator's rules first.

Compare programs by market in programs by GEO and see current commission levels in CPA rates by GEO.