Gaming in Europe sets program for Finland-focused iGaming conference in Barcelona

Gaming in Europe has confirmed a slate of legal, compliance, and market data speakers for its Gaming in Finland Evening Conference scheduled for January 19 during ICE Barcelona 2026.

The evening conference is planned while Finland moves to re-regulate its iGaming market this year. Gaming in Europe said it is organizing the event in close collaboration with local stakeholders and will focus on regulatory planning, market structure, commercial outlook, and compliance preparation.

Sessions will include “Legal & regulatory update: Preparing your entry into the regulated Finnish iGaming market,” featuring Pekka Ilmivalta, head of Finnish office at Nordic Legal, and Morten Ronde, founding partner at Nordic Legal.

Another session, “What sets Finland apart: The unique characteristics of the Finnish gambling market,” will be led by Jari Vähänen, founding partner at The Finnish Gambling Consultants.

The program also includes a session titled “Will the Finnish market be profitable? A scenario: 2027-2031,” presented by Mika Kuismanen, CEO of The Finnish Trade Association for Online Gambling. Market sizing will be covered in “The Finnish iGaming market in numbers,” with Josh Hodgson, COO at H2 Gambling Capital.

Compliance planning will be addressed in “Knowns and unknowns of Finnish gambling compliance & how to prepare in the meantime,” featuring Niklas Bondestam, CEO of Ubetec; Jessica Maier, co-founder of EGARA; and Paul Foster, CEO of Crucial Compliance.

Gaming in Europe founder Willem van Oort said the goal is to bring local stakeholders together with international participants.

“I am extremely pleased that we managed to bring all these experts together. If you are interested in the Finnish market and would like to personally meet with local stakeholders, the Gaming in Finland Evening Conference @ICE is undoubtedly the place to do it," he stated.

"I think Finland is going to be an exciting market and I am happy that – here, too – Gaming in Europe can play a role in creating important connections between domestic and international stakeholders,” van Oort added.

Gaming in Europe said the event will take place on January 19, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Renaissance Barcelona Hotel. The venue is near Fira de Barcelona, where the main ICE Barcelona event is located.

Only participants who receive definitive confirmation of attendance will be allowed access, according to organizers.

Gaming in Europe said seats are limited for the inaugural Gaming in Finland event and encouraged interested participants to register their interest through www.gamingineu/finland. The group said it will notify registrants if a seat is available.

Organizers said 100+ decision makers have already confirmed attendance.

Gaming in Europe also directed interested parties to its Gaming in Finland LinkedIn group, where the organization said it will share news and updates on the Finnish market.

Sponsorship and media partnership opportunities are available. Inquiries can be directed to van Oort at [email protected].