Finnish media and advertising executives expect gambling to become one of the country's largest advertising categories when the licensed market opens, while operating under advertising rules among the most restrictive in Europe.
Anna-Riikka Hovi-Taunila, chief executive of Omnicom Media Group Finland, has estimated that gambling advertising could be worth up to €100 million to Finnish media in the first licensing year, potentially the second-largest category after retail. The projection was discussed at a Sanoma Media B2B seminar in April and at a Marketing Finland and SPOT Association seminar in March.
The constraint that reshapes acquisition
Finland is not permitting affiliate marketing of gambling services. For operators, that removes a channel which carries a substantial share of acquisition in most European markets. For the affiliate sector, it closes Finnish traffic as a business model.
Influencer promotion is expressly prohibited and podcast collaborations are reported as not permitted. Telemarketing is to be banned outright, and direct marketing will require prior active consent.
Brand, not product
Licensed operators will be able to advertise their brands, but advertising of individual games and specific gambling products is expected to be restricted. Sponsorship is permitted for general visibility, excluding junior sports and anything aimed at minors. Every advertisement must carry K-18 marking and responsible gambling messaging.
Karri Ahonen, sales director at Sanoma, has described the broadcaster's role as controlling which environments operators may advertise in rather than maximising revenue. Sanoma has confirmed it will not become an operator itself.
Not everyone welcomes the volume
Christer Fahlstedt, chief executive of Åland-based operator Paf, told Hufvudstadsbladet in February that the coming advertising volume would not be well received, and noted that unregulated alternatives could still reach vulnerable players.
What it means for market entry
The combination is unusual: meaningful spend available, narrow permitted forms. Operators planning Finnish entry on a performance-marketing model built around affiliates, influencers and aggressive welcome offers will need a different plan. Media owners, agencies and brand-led marketing suppliers stand to benefit more than the acquisition stack that typically follows a market opening.
