Key points:
- 25syv Group CEO Mikael Bäcke has been appointed as CEO of Hippos ATG Oy
- The business is a joint venture between Suomen Hippos and ATG
- The business is set to launch in 2027, in line with changes to gaming regulation in Finland
Trav och Galopp (ATG) and Suomen Hippos have started a joint venture, Hippos ATG Oy. Mikael Bäcke, the CEO of ATG subsidiary 25syv Group, has been appointed as CEO.
ATG is Sweden’s monopoly racing operator, while Suomen Hippos is an equestrian association from Finland. The two own half the company each, however it is notable that, when it comes to profits, 60% goes to Suomen Hippos, while the remaining 40% is distributed to ATG.
The move comes ahead of the demonopolisation of Finland’s gaming market, with a licence-based system set to be implemented by 2027. The move follows other Scandinavian nations including Sweden, though some regulations — including a ban on affiliates — have raised concerns.
For more information on the demonopolisation of Finland’s gaming market, check out our interview with Finnish Consulting Group Partner Jari Vähänen, Partner and Legal Advisor at Legal Gaming Attorneys at Law Antti Koivula and Finnplay Managing Director Jaakko Soininen in the March/ April 2024 edition of Gambling Insider.
The Board of Directors includes three representatives from Suomen Hippos and four representatives from ATG, including Chairman Hans Lord Skarplöth.
Bäcke has been with ATG since 2014, first joining as Manager Business Development, Betting Methods. A year-and-a-half later he was promoted to Head of Business Development, Betting Products & Methods, and a year-and-a-half after was appointed at CPO, holding the role until August 2019. At this point, he was appointed as CEO of 25syv, having held the role for almost six years before this latest appointment.
Good to know: It was announced in November 2024 that horseracing would be included as an area of the Finnish gaming market that would be subject to demonopolisation, in line with Finland’s change to a licence-based gaming market
On his appointment, Skarplöth said: “We are very pleased that Mikael Bäcke is taking on the role of CEO for the new company in Finland. Mikael has excellent knowledge of the Nordic gaming market.
The goal is to launch a new gaming company on 1 January 2027, in connection with the Finnish gaming market being re-regulated into a license-based market. At the same time, we gain a strong force in Henrik Friis Pedersen to further develop our customer offering in Denmark.”
Bäcke himself added: “This is a very exciting assignment and an important and forward-looking initiative for ATG and the entire Nordic trotting industry. Together with Suomen Hippos, we are now building a new, attractive gaming company.”
