Finnish state-owned gaming operator Veikkaus has announced a strategic commercial cooperation agreement with Viaplay’s Danish and Finnish companies to launch a new betting brand, Viabet, in Finland and Denmark on July 1, 2027.
Developed and wholly owned by Veikkaus, Viabet represents the operator’s first venture into consumer markets outside of Finland, serving as a pivotal milestone in the company’s long-term strategy to build a competitive, scalable, and responsible international business.
The agreement leverages Viaplay’s strong media footprint and premium sports broadcasting capabilities, combining them with Veikkaus’ extensive industry experience, state ownership credentials, and rigorous commitment to player safety. As the global gaming industry undergoes increased consolidation and globalization, operators face heightened competition in newly opened regulated markets, making differentiated services and strategic media partnerships essential for success.
Driving international growth through media collaboration
Olli Sarekoski, CEO of Veikkaus, emphasized the transformative nature of the agreement:
“Viabet is a significant strategic step for Veikkaus and a concrete demonstration of how we are advancing our international growth goals. The partnership will help us build a distinctive offering, improve our competitiveness in the open market and create a stronger foundation for a scalable international consumer business based on Finnish expertise. For Veikkaus, the Viaplay partnership is not about an individual commercial project, but a strategic investment in Veikkaus’ future.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Viabet will incorporate selected media content from Viaplay, merging it seamlessly with Veikkaus’ proprietary technology, customer experience frameworks, and player security protocols. In return, the partnership establishes a reciprocal data exchange: Veikkaus’ sports data and analytics will empower Viaplay to provide viewers with enhanced match insights and deeper comprehension of the sports they follow.
Leadership alignment across Nordic markets
The collaboration has drawn strong endorsement from Viaplay’s regional executives. Lars Bo Jeppesen, CEO of Viaplay Denmark, noted:
“It has been clear to us from the beginning that Veikkaus has ambitious goals and the know-how to succeed in the Danish market. In addition, responsibility guides the company’s plans. We are pleased that Veikkaus considers us the right partner to support their goals and appreciates our strong offering of live sports broadcasts and ancillary programs as well as our way of building commercial cooperation. The launch of Viabet in Finland and Denmark makes our partnership concrete. We look forward to building on its success from July 2027.”
Mikael Svensson, CEO of Viaplay Finland, added:
“We already have a great collaboration with Veikkaus in our sports productions in Finland, and we look forward to expanding the partnership with the new commercial agreement. We are proud to support Veikkaus’ Viabet with our strong sports offering, production expertise and knowledge of the Finnish market.”
While Veikkaus has maintained an international presence since 2022 through its B2B subsidiary Fennica Gaming—supplying digital gaming solutions and technology to corporate clients across 21 countries—Viabet marks its inaugural leap into foreign consumer markets, reinforcing its ambition to evolve into a globally respected gaming group.
