Swedish Gaming Operator ATG Accuses Veikkaus of Anti-competitive Behavior
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) has launched an investigation into Veikkaus, the state-owned gambling operator, following a formal complaint from Swedish gaming company AB Trav och Galopp (ATG).
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The complaint, submitted by ATG, accuses Veikkaus of engaging in anti-competitive conduct in the lead-up to Finland's planned liberalization of its gambling market, set to take place in 2027. The current framework in Finland allows Veikkaus to operate under a state monopoly, but that structure is expected to change as the country moves toward a regulated commercial market.
ATG has outlined five specific actions taken by Veikkaus that it claims are detrimental to both competition and consumer choice. Central to the allegations is the termination of a longstanding business relationship between the two operators.
ATG stated that Veikkaus unilaterally ended their 16-year partnership, which involved the distribution of data and visual horse racing content from Finland to Sweden. As a result of this decision, Swedish customers can no longer place bets on Finnish horse races, cutting off access to a previously available product.
Another point of contention involves ATG's assertion that Veikkaus is actively restricting Swedish betting content from reaching Finnish customers. According to ATG, Veikkaus has decided to cease the offering of Swedish horse racing betting options entirely.
This change is expected to remove Finnish customers' ability to wager on ATG's key Wednesday races and eliminate access to Sweden's betting markets. The removal of this content further limits consumer options in Finland and, according to ATG, represents a clear attempt to hinder foreign operators' market presence.
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ATG also raised concerns over exclusive contractual arrangements made by Veikkaus with television production crews and media organizations. The Swedish operator claims these contracts, which are said to extend through 2030, block other gambling providers from accessing essential broadcasting personnel and media partnerships.
This limitation could create a significant barrier for new entrants when the Finnish market opens to broader competition in two years.
A fourth accusation centers on customer transition strategies. ATG has claimed that Veikkaus intends to transfer over a million existing monopoly customers to its new licensed entity once the market liberalization takes effect.
This move, ATG argues, would give Veikkaus a disproportionate head start over any potential competitors by enabling it to retain a dominant share of the customer base in the newly competitive landscape. Such a migration of user data and loyalty would make it considerably more difficult for other operators to attract Finnish players.
The FCCA is expected to examine whether the alleged practices violate Finnish or EU competition law, particularly given the structural changes on the horizon. The outcome of the investigation could influence how Finland manages the shift from a monopoly model to a competitive licensing system.
Veikkaus has not yet issued a public statement in response to the allegations or the investigation.
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