Finnish state lottery operator Veikkaus has secured a major step up in its international presence via a launch in Ontario, Canada.
The firm’s B2B division, Fennica Gaming, is expanding in the province via a competition with Betty Games, a New York-based company with a presence in the Canadian province.
International growth has been on Veikkaus’ agenda for some time, with the company preparing for a significant change in its home market of Finland in July 2027.
“The discussions were launched by our Dutch ambassador Mr. Ron Goudsmit from easyplaytime and were held in Canada,” said Joonas Tirkkonen, Sales Manager at Fennica Gaming.
“After meeting with Betty Gaming’s top management we agreed to continue discussions with their professional team. We were introducing our games at an industry event and soon after we signed a contract to deliver our iCasino games to the Ontarian markets.
“Now we are happy to share that our games are live in Ontario, Canada. This launch is a great example of how strong partnerships, shared vision and consistent dialogue can turn meetings at events into concrete, mutually beneficial cooperation.”
Fennica reiterated that its expansion into Ontario forms part of a wider long-term plan to grow its international presence in regulated, high-standard markets, by working with ‘selected operator partners’.
The firm has secured a B2B gaming licence in Ontario, and plans to use the launch to further expand in North America.
“Our expansion into Ontario, Canada is an important milestone in Fennica Gaming’s broader market expansion strategy,” said Joni Hovi, Senior Vice President at Fennica Gaming.
“In the first phase we received a B2B license in Ontario, and now we are proud and happy to see the first go-live in Ontario.
“This is a market that values high-quality, responsible entertainment, and we believe our Nordic by Nature games will resonate very well with local players.”
Veikkaus and Fennica Gaming to expand international reach
As mentioned above, the deal serves to further expand Veikkaus’ reach internationally.
The company holds the exclusive rights to manage the Finnish lottery and, for now, operates sports betting and gaming.
From July next year, the market will open up and licences will be issued for online betting and gaming, though Veikkaus will retain its exclusive rights to operate the lottery.
The firm has been supportive of the move, arguing it is necessary for Finland to regain control of its gambling market from unregulated and illegal companies.
Nonetheless, the firm has also made it clear that international expansion is high on the agenda over the coming years, and Fennica Gaming will prove central to this.
“I met with the Fennicans at an industry event and immediately loved the themes and the quality of Fennica’s games,” said Paraskeva Smirnova, Senior Casino Operations Manager from Betty Gaming.
“They have many themes that fit perfectly for the Canadian markets. We agreed on the best timeline to launch the games, and the collaboration has been excellent and inspiring from the very beginning.
“We expect to launch many more Nordic-born games together and believe that Fennica Gaming’s content will be a strong addition to our offering for players in Ontario.”