Latest News

Veikkaus’ digital gaming market share increased by 3 percentage points

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2024

veikkaus’-digital-gaming-market-share-increased-by-3-percentage-points

Reading Time: 4 minutes

2023 was a successful year for Veikkaus’ digital channel initiatives, and the company’s overall result was in line with its target. 180,000 new people registered as Veikkaus customers, and Veikkaus’ customer base now totals over 2.5 million registered customers.

Digital gaming grew by 4.5 percentage points and totalled nearly 55% of Veikkaus’ gross gaming revenue. Veikkaus channelled its development investments particularly into its digital channel, where the games created by Veikkaus’ own gaming studio also accounted for a large share of the gross gaming revenue generated by the company’s online casino, eArpa service, and other offerings. In addition, preparations were made during the year to ensure that Veikkaus would be ready for the customer registration requirement that will apply to all of its games from the beginning of 2024. Veikkaus is also the first gaming company in the world to require its customers to register when purchasing or redeeming physical scratch cards and lottery tickets, to ensure a safer gambling environment for all.

Veikkaus in 2023:

The Veikkaus Group’s actual sales revenue in 2023 totalled EUR 1,033.1 million (-3.5% compared to 2022). The actual sales revenue includes the gross gaming revenue from gambling activities and turnover from other business activities.
Veikkaus Group’s profit for the fiscal year was EUR 578.5 million (-13.7 %) while operating profit was EUR 573.6 million (-14.5 %). The decline in the result was due to an increase in the lottery tax, one time cost entries made as a result of the cooperation negotiations in the autumn, and significant investments in the Group’s future.
The financial profit of parent company Veikkaus Oy for 2023 was EUR 585.0 million (-14.0%), and the operating profit was EUR 580.2 million (-14.7%). Veikkaus’ gross gaming revenue totalled EUR 1,032.0 million (-3.6 %). The decline was partly the result of Veikkaus’ responsibility measure, i.e. the identification requirement for physical ticket-based game players that came into force in May 2023.
The lottery tax paid to the central government on gross gaming revenue increased by 1.6 percentage points from the previous year’s figure of 3.4%, amounting to 5% for the fiscal year. In 2023, Veikkaus Oy paid EUR 51.7 million in lottery tax, which is EUR 15.4 million more than the previous year.
In 2023, authenticated gambling accounted for 90.6% (+11.1 percentage points) of Veikkaus’ domestic gambling activities. From 1 January 2024, all Veikkaus games can only be played by registered customers, who must identify themselves every time they play.
At the end of 2023, Veikkaus had approximately 2,520,000 registered customers. The number of registered customers increased by approximately 180,000 (+8.0 %) during the year.

The long-running trend of gambling shifting to the digital channel continued in 2023, and 54.8% of gross gaming revenue from Veikkaus’ consumer-oriented gambling activities was derived from the digital channel (+4.5 percentage points). According to the estimate of H2 Gambling Capital, Veikkaus accounted for around 54% (+3 percentage points) of the Finnish digital gambling market for the year.

– Veikkaus’ profits and performance in 2023 were as expected, and we can be satisfied with these as a whole. The year was particularly successful for our online games, and Veikkaus will continue to deepen its development investments in its digital channel, says Veikkaus CFO Regina Sippel.

In terms of gross gaming revenue, the most successful of Veikkaus’ game groups was its online casino (digital automated games and digital table games), whose gross gaming revenue totalled EUR 184.0 million (+6.1%). This growth was particularly boosted by the company’s successful game releases.

Veikkaus’ most-played games were Eurojackpot and Lotto. The gross gaming revenue for Eurojackpot, which is drawn twice a week, was EUR 151.1 million (+0.0%). During the year under review, Lotto’s gross gaming revenue amounted to EUR 136.5 million (-8.9%).

2023 was the last year when Veikkaus Oy’s profit was settled to any beneficiary ministries. Beginning from 2024, Veikkaus Oy’s revenues will be directed to the state budget without any pre-defined beneficiaries.

All games to be covered by the identification requirement

Veikkaus began mandating the registration of players as Veikkaus customers for ticket-based games in mid-May. The impacts of the identification requirement on gaming have been as expected. Veikkaus also made preparations for the identification requirement for scratch card games, which entered into force on 1 January 2024 and meant that all Veikkaus games now require identification.

– Today, all of our games, including all physical scratch cards, are subject to the identification requirement. This means that we have become a worldwide pioneer in ensuring the responsibility of our gambling operations, says Susanna Saikkonen, Vice President for Sustainability at Veikkaus.

The identification of players enables a safer gambling environment where customers can be offered various services, such as loss and money transfer limits, and the possibility of self-exclusion of all games. The data obtained through identified gaming activities can also be used to prevent and reduce the harms of gambling.

– Using the data, we can analyse our players’ gambling habits and identify the signs of high-risk gambling. In 2023, our gambling harm prediction system helped us make over 3,700 calls to at-risk players, and we also introduced an automation-based care and communication model for high-risk level customers. In particular, we found that advance messages about calls, attempted calls, and the discussions that took place had a clear impact on the number of customers who decided to set a self-exclusion for themselves, Saikkonen explains.

From the perspective of preventing gambling problems, it will be vital to have other gambling companies operating in Finland follow Veikkaus’ example in complying with the same responsibility rules. The Government Programme states that Finland intends to introduce a partial multi-licence system at the beginning of 2026. It will be important to keep to the schedule that has been set. The new system will allow for the necessary tools and measures for preventing gambling problems. Every extra day in an environment without common rules is a day too late.

Veikkaus subsidiary Fennica Gaming expanded rapidly

During the year, the objective of Veikkaus subsidiary Fennica Gaming, which focuses on Veikkaus’ international business-to-business operations, was to expand the eArpa service to new markets, which it performed successfully. In 2023, the company delivered games to three continents and eight state-owned gaming companies. By the end of the year, Finnish online lotteries were available in the Nordic countries, the Baltic States, Central Europe, and America.

– Fennica Gaming’s corporate customers have been very satisfied with the quality of our games as well as Fennica Gaming’s service level, expertise, and the reliability of our deliveries. With these new markets, we have learned a lot about how we can best add value to our corporate customers’ business activities. We believe that our rapid expansion will also continue in 2024, says Timo Kiiskinen, CEO of Fennica Gaming.

Related Topics:latest-news Press Releases Scandinavia

Up Next

Spinomenal enhances 888 collaboration with Italian expansion

Don't Miss

HIGH STAKES LEGEND TOM DWAN SIGNS WITH ACR POKER AS ACR PRO

16Pay

BetConstruct AI Sets Middle East Strategy at Harmony ChoiceMe Dubai — Unveils AI Lobby, BetChain, SoftGates & 16Pay

Published

37 minutes ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

betconstruct-ai-sets-middle-east-strategy-at-harmony-choiceme-dubai-—-unveils-ai-lobby,-betchain,-softgates-&-16pay

BetConstruct AI cemented its strategic focus on the Middle East at Harmony ChoiceMe, an exclusive industry gathering aboard the luxury Lotus Royale Cruise.

Held two days before AIBC Eurasia, the invite-only event brought together senior iGaming leaders to preview BetConstruct AI’s latest AI-powered products and a major roadmap for live casino, sportsbook and payments innovation.

Strategic showcase: brands and partners on display

Harmony ChoiceMe highlighted the full BetConstruct AI ecosystem, with major product and partner updates from Choice Gaming, KISS AI Live Casino, Creedroomz, PopOK Gaming, Pascal Gaming, and FeedConstruct. The event was designed to demonstrate how AI, unified integrations and star-driven content can elevate operator offerings across regulated and emerging markets.

Key announcements & product launches

Choice Gaming new roster — Vigen Badalyan unveiled three celebrity-driven releases for Choice Gaming featuring football icon Patrice Evra, MMA star Arman Tsarukyan, and artist/DJ Alec Monopoly, expanding branded live-show content and player appeal.
Creedroomz slate — Vahagn Badalyan introduced two headline titles: Road to Eldorado, a high-energy Aztec-themed show game, and The Choice, a cinematic intuition-based title—plus a roadmap of immersive releases designed for live vertical growth.
AI Game Recommendation → AI-driven lobby — Leonid Kirakosyan presented the evolution of the AI Game Recommendation System into a fully AI-driven lobby architecture that dynamically curates and personalizes the player experience.
16Pay payment gateway — A new 16Pay gateway was unveiled to simplify payments, integrating hundreds of local and global payment methods for frictionless deposit and withdrawal flows.
BetChain AI & SoftGates — BetConstruct AI showcased BetChain AI, an AI-powered collaborative page and content builder for iGaming, and SoftGates, a unified aggregator exposing the company’s sportsbook and casino portfolio via a single API for faster operator integration.

Why it matters for operators

The Harmony ChoiceMe announcements underscore two operator priorities: player personalization and integration efficiency. The AI-driven lobby fosters higher retention and conversion by surfacing the right games at the right time, while SoftGates and 16Pay drastically reduce time-to-market and payment friction for regional launches — key advantages for Middle East expansion.

Event close and next steps

The evening finished with a rooftop celebration on the Lotus Royale, marking a milestone for BetConstruct AI’s regional strategy. Following Harmony ChoiceMe, BetConstruct AI heads to AIBC Eurasia — industry partners and operators are invited to visit Stand 5S to demo the portfolio and explore commercial partnerships.

The post BetConstruct AI Sets Middle East Strategy at Harmony ChoiceMe Dubai — Unveils AI Lobby, BetChain, SoftGates & 16Pay appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

GR8 Tech

GR8 Tech Introduces Swipe-Based Matchmaking for iGaming

Published

6 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

gr8-tech-introduces-swipe-based-matchmaking-for-igaming

The most compelling relationship narratives seldom begin with a sales presentation. They start with a spark, a bond, with something unique that’s difficult to describe.

This Valentine’s Day, GR8 Tech suggests setting aside formal meetings and allowing chemistry to lead with its “Perfect iGaming Match,” resembling Tinder: operators can swipe through GR8 Tech solutions and products like profiles on a dating app, connecting with those that suit their business: quick, straightforward, and with undeniable chemistry.

Prefer it fast and direct to GGR? Perhaps the Infinite Casino Aggregation will grab your attention.

Are you involved in domination and affiliate management? Discover what Aff.Tech offers…

Consider that a date is most enjoyable when safety is a priority? Risk Management completely concurs!

However—no additional spoilers. It’s time to swipe and discover for yourself.

How operators can find “the one”:
● Swipe-based discovery: Like any good Valentine’s day flirt, swipe right on what feels like “the one,” left on what doesn’t.
● Find the right product fast: From sportsbook to full turnkey, operators can meet their perfect match immediately.
● Start the right conversation: Once there’s a match, operators aren’t starting from scratch. They’re starting from “this is what we need.”

“Choosing the right tech stack shouldn’t feel like an endless first date with spreadsheets,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “This Valentine’s Day experience makes it fun to explore what you actually need, and makes it easier to start the right conversation with our team. When operators match with the right solutions, everything gets smoother: launches, growth, and day-to-day operations.”

This Valentine’s Day, GR8 Tech encourages operators to bypass the uncomfortable chit-chat, engage purposefully, and explore how compatibility manifests when technology, growth, and operations align seamlessly.

The post GR8 Tech Introduces Swipe-Based Matchmaking for iGaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

ASUS

ASUS and BLAST Premier Extend Partnership Ahead of 2026 Global Tour

Published

7 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

asus-and-blast-premier-extend-partnership-ahead-of-2026-global-tour

International competitive entertainment firm BLAST has today revealed a continuation of their collaboration with ASUS, a prominent global technology leader. After a successful collaboration in 2025, ASUS will be the Official Partner for Monitors, PCs, Laptops, Keyboards, and Mice for the entire 2026 season of BLAST Premier, a worldwide Counter-Strike 2 tournament series.

This collaboration will cover six events, three continents, and five nations throughout 2026, commencing this week in Malta for BLAST Premier Bounty S1. The occurrences are as detailed:

BLAST Bounty S1 – Malta: 13th January – 25th January.
BLAST Open S1 – Rotterdam, Netherlands: 18th March – 29th March
BLAST Rivals S1 – Fort Worth, Texas, USA: 29th April – 3rd May
BLAST Bounty S2 – Malta: 21st July – 2nd August
BLAST Open S2 – Europe: 26th August – 6th September
BLAST Rivals S2 – Hong Kong: 11th November – 15th November

Under the agreement, ASUS will supply its top-tier monitors, PCs, laptops, keyboards, and mice for use in broadcasting during all Premier events in 2026.

The ROG Strix XG248QSG Ace will remain in use on stage after successful implementation during the last three events in 2025. The display includes a 24.1-inch FHD Super TN panel boasting a 610Hz refresh rate and Extreme Low Motion Blur 2 (ELMB 2) technology for sharp motion clarity. It guarantees almost no latency with 0.8ms input delay.

The BLAST Premier Esports Station ‘Powered by ASUS’ is crafted for optimal tournament performance. These computers are equipped with the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU.

Kevin Nguyen, Director of Partnerships at BLAST, said: “2025 was an incredibly successful first BLAST Premier season in this new era of Counter-Strike and we’re proud to be going into 2026 re-signing with an industry leader in ASUS. ASUS products not only elevated our competition standards, but also created unique experiences for attending fans at our events. We’re excited to be expanding our partnership with ASUS in 2026 as BLAST Premier wows fans around the world and in new locations such as Rotterdam in March and Fort Worth in May.”

“For two decades, ROG’s mission has been to innovate products that offer exceptional experiences. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re bringing that legacy to the competitive scene like never before,” said Kris Huang, General Manager of the ASUS Gaming & Workspace Gear business unit. “With this partnership, we’ve built a seamless ecosystem between our ultrafast displays and precision gear. It’s all designed so that gamers can achieve their true potential together in play. This is For Those Who Dare to demand perfection and we are here to deliver it.”

The season commences with BLAST Premier Bounty and continues through to BLAST Premier Rivals, which concludes the season in Hong Kong, with ASUS completely integrated into BLAST broadcasts for maximum brand visibility. This encompasses the physical positioning of ASUS monitors, PCs, laptops, and their range of keyboards and mice. ASUS will be incorporated into both digital and physical branding, in-broadcast ads, and customized branded content shown on air.

Moreover, ASUS is provided with its own broadcast segment that emphasizes highlight replays, featuring exclusive camera angles that display ASUS technology in action. ASUS will engage directly with fans, setting up branded booths at every Premier Arena event, beginning in Rotterdam, which is BLAST’s inaugural event in the Netherlands.

BLAST performed surveys with participants in 2025 to gauge the impact of the BLAST x ASUS collaboration, revealing that over a third of fans in attendance already utilize ASUS products, and 76% of fans who interacted engaged with ASUS products post-event. This is a brand that individuals in the CS community admire and utilize, highlighting the brand’s significance within BLAST and the impact of direct advertising at esports events.

ROG items will likewise bear the labels: