Nordic gaming companies ATG and Veikkaus have failed to agree on a new contract for coverage of harness racing.
The development means that from April 1, Swedish customers will not be able to bet on, or watch, Finnish races.
Both sides disagree over who is to blame for the renewal talks breaking down.
ATG's chief corporate communications officer, Patrik Brissman, told InterGame: "ATG has been a loyal partner to Veikkaus for many years and is therefore both surprised and concerned that Veikkaus has chosen to terminate a long-standing agreement regarding data and video rights for Finnish trotting races."
Brissman said Veikkaus has "demanded an extension of the agreement all the way to 2030."
"Considering that the Finnish gambling market is facing re-regulation, it is unreasonable for us to agree to such a long-term deal. There are still many unanswered questions about what the market will look like," he added. "We believe this is a questionable course of action – especially coming from a state-owned monopoly as Veikkaus – and one that could, both in the short and long term, undermine revenues for the horse industry and interest not only in Finnish trotting but in Nordic trotting as a whole. "We hope that Veikkaus reconsiders its decision and that together we can find a way forward that continues to create value for all parties, the horse industry and the interest in trotting in the Nordic region."
However, Jarkko Nordlund, director of Veikkaus' online casino and betting, said: “We are very disappointed and surprised by ATG's decision to end our contract negotiations.”
“ATG's decision came as a surprise to us. Veikkaus is still willing to find a common solution in contract negotiations, but in this situation, we must also start preparing for a situation where an agreement between Veikkaus and ATG is not reached,” he added.
Nordlund said “genuine competition” where Veikkaus and ATG offer horse betting options is crucial for the growth of the sport, adding: “That is the situation we want to achieve.”
Veikkaus said if the current lack of co-operation with ATG carries on, it “must start investing in domestic horse racing venues and further increase our measures to increase their attractiveness.”
The company recently agreed on “large-scale” TV productions for its TotoTV broadcasting platform to improve the visibility of Finnish trotting events.
Veikkaus said a long-term co-operation with Suomen Hippos, Finland's Trotting and Breeding Association, will further improve the sport’s attractiveness.
Veikkaus said it hopes the country’s move to a multi-licensing system of gambling in either 2026 or 2027 will create “genuine competition” in horse betting.
The operator said it will provide more information about contract negotiations and measures at a later date.
