Veikkaus to launch new Viabet brand in Finland and Denmark through commercial partnership with Viaplay

The agreement marks an important milestone in Veikkaus’ international strategy and supports its ambition to build a scalable, competitive and responsible consumer business beyond Finland. 

For Viaplay, the agreement represents a significant opportunity to leverage its sports brand through cooperation with Veikkaus, a Finnish state-owned company with extensive gaming experience and a strong commitment to responsible play.  

- Viabet is a significant strategic step for Veikkaus and a concrete demonstration of how we are advancing our international growth ambitions. Through this partnership, we can build a differentiated offering, improve our competitiveness in the open market, and create a stronger foundation for scalable international consumer business based on Finnish expertise, says Olli Sarekoski, President and CEO of Veikkaus. 

The global money gaming market is becoming increasingly international and concentrated, as operators pursue growth across multiple markets and brands. In this environment, competitiveness is driven by scale, brand strength, technology and deep customer understanding. At the same time, market liberalization, intensifying competition and ongoing consolidation are increasing the importance of strong brands, differentiated offerings and strategic partnerships across regulated markets. 

Veikkaus’ partnership with Viaplay responds directly to these developments. In sports betting, content plays a key role in customer appeal and competitiveness. Viaplay brings valuable expertise in sports content and strong market understanding in both Finland and Denmark, supporting the positioning and attractiveness of Viabet brand in these markets.  

- This partnership is more than a single commercial agreement. It is a strategic investment in Veikkaus’ future, Sarekoski says.  

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’ expertise in sports data and analytics will also enrich Viaplay’s sports coverage with additional insights, giving viewers a deeper understanding of the sports they love. 

- From our very first meeting, it has been clear that Veikkaus has bold ambitions and the expertise to succeed in the Danish market, with responsibility at the heart of its plans. We are delighted that Veikkaus sees Viaplay as the right partner to support those ambitions, recognizing our strong portfolio of live sports and the programming around it, as well as our commercial approach to partnerships. Veikkaus’ launch of Viabet in Finland and Denmark brings this partnership to life, and we look forward to making it a success from July 1st 2027, says Lars Bo Jeppesen, CEO of Viaplay Denmark.  

- We already have a great partnership with Veikkaus in our Finnish sports production, and we look forward to expanding it through this new commercial agreement. We are proud to support Veikkaus’ ambitions for Viabet with our strong sports portfolio, production expertise and knowledge of the Finnish market, adds Mikael Svensson, CEO of Viaplay Finland. 

Veikkaus began its international journey through its B2B subsidiary Fennica Gaming in 2022, which currently exports Finnish gaming expertise, technology and digital gaming solutions to customers in 21 countries. With Viabet, Veikkaus is taking the next step in its evolution by entering the business-to-consumer market outside Finland for the first time. This move supports the company’s long-term vision of becoming a respected and successful international gaming group. 

- The opening of the Finnish money gaming market creates a significant growth opportunity for Veikkaus. We see clear international demand for our expertise, and Viabet allows us to turn that expertise into a scalable consumer business in selected markets. This is an important next step in our international expansion, says Jonas Reuter, EVP, International Business at Veikkaus.

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