Veikkaus confirms venue closures and redundancies ahead of re-regulation

The transition from a monopoly to a liberal gambling market will result in the loss of up to 215 jobs at Finland’s state-owned operator Veikkaus, as well as the closure of numerous gaming venues.

Following consultations with employees, Veikkaus expects to lay off between 185 and 215 employees, an improvement on the 240 job losses initially predicted by the company.

A further 110-150 employees will see the terms of their employment change materially, as the company prepares for the liberalised gambling market in Finland.

As part of the change, Veikkaus’ business operations will be divided into three segments.  

Senior vice president Nora Vähävirta will oversee the domestic business, which includes games of chance, slot machines, and the company’s gaming arcades.  

SVP Jarkko Nordlund assumes responsibility for the domestic online casino and betting business, while SVP Jonas Reuter will lead the international business.

“The upcoming changes in the system are a great opportunity for Veikkaus, but they also bring many changes. Our personnel structure will be revised and we will be focusing on our core business, working to strengthen our knowhow,” said Heli Lallukka, executive vice president of Human Resources. “Following constructive dialogue with the personnel representatives, we ended up with smaller final figures.”

The timing of the redundancies will be decided by the end of this year.

The company also said Monday that it will be closing down 20 retail venues by the end of December, including Casino Tampere and 19 gaming arcades.

Finland’s re-regulated gambling market is scheduled to open on 1 January, 2026.