The Finnish gaming market attracts operators – new companies need to localise and build trust

International gaming operators see the potential in the Finnish gaming market – and are ready to make decisions and form partnerships even as the details of the legislation are in the talks. This is crucial time that will determine which operators will make it in the reformed market. 

The opening of the Finnish gaming market sparked conversations in ICE Barcelona, one of the world’s largest gaming events. Sanoma’s team visited the event in January, and Sales Director Karri Ahonen is ready to share the most burning talking points. 

”The discussions we had at ICE made it clear that operators are willing to make decisions before they know every legislative detail. The customer understanding gained, partnerships formed and media choices made right now will seal the success stories,” Ahonen says. 

Establishing trust is key in a crowded market

Moderate taxation, a relatively liberal view on marketing and the Finns’ neutral attitudes towards gaming make Finland an attractive market to international gaming operators. In ICE Barcelona, it was estimated that as many as 40 to 60 companies may apply for a licence to operate in Finland. This exceeds earlier estimates. 

Not all companies will commence their operations immediately. Still, the competition for consumers’ attention will start on day one, and building trust will be key. 

The current monopoly holder Veikkaus – who will continue to operate in the reformed market – has a long-established trust among Finns. A previously unknown operator will need to gain that same trust by approaching the consumer in the right contexts with the right message. 

“It’s not only about the volume of marketing, but about what you do and how you do it,” Ahonen says.

Read more: Get to know the Finnish player

Localise by understanding both your audience and the media

Though appealing, Finland also has a reputation as a demanding market. Finns are critical, media literate and quick to point out inauthenticity. Ahonen reminds operators not to enter the market with a ready-made playbook but to invest in careful localisation instead. 

”Rather than simply targeting marketing to those who tend to play the most, you need to understand the cultural framework, including the humour and visuals that appeal to Finnish people. This is not a game of copy and paste,” Ahonen says. 

Marketing that enriches and interacts with its context is highly influential. If the goal is to, for example, take over a certain sport, a logo on a jersey only goes so far. 

”The priority should be to understand both the audience and what they wish from that media. In what ways could you attach yourself to that sport or journalistic context?”

Read more: Top 5 things to consider when entering the Finnish gaming market

The biggest gaming operators do high-quality marketing

The state of gaming marketing in Finland from 2027 onwards is a topic that raises questions among both operators and consumers. Karri Ahonen has an educated guess: 

”The 10 to 15 biggest operators entering Finland will do marketing communications of extremely high quality. At the other end of the spectrum are companies with less resources who will have a more of a trial-and-error approach.” 

Event marketing done by gaming operators will boost the visibility of specific sports. Overall, ownership of sports and influencers will be sought-after. However, the extent to which influencer partnerships can be utilised is still uncertain. 

”The practical tools and measures of marketing will become clearer as the legislation is finalised,” says Ahonen. 

Gaming companies want a full-service partner

Instead of talking media space only, gaming companies are currently looking for partnerships that cover consumer understanding and localised content that supports customer retention and brand loyalty.

”Gaming operators want to attach themselves to different phenomena in multiple channels. If the goal is to own the ice hockey scene, our job as a marketing and media partner is to create the toolkit needed for that,” says Ahonen.

Through vast experience, segmentation and extensive first-party data, Sanoma has a solid grasp on the Finnish media user.

”Our multichannel marketing experts are familiar with the daily race for the consumer’s attention. Sanoma’s wide selection of media also guarantees that if a regulation change affects one media group, we can shift the focus to another,” Ahonen concludes. 

Advertising Finland is your doorway to the Finnish market. As the international sales unit of Sanoma, the leading media house in Finland, we connect you with top marketing professionals and help you find the right media solutions. 

Book a meeting with our gaming team!

Read more: Here’s what we know about the Finnish gaming reform right now