ComeOn Group Restructures Leadership Team for Upcoming Finland Market Entry

Malta-headquartered operator ComeOn Group has announced a significant reshuffle of its executive leadership team to drive its next phase of growth. The company is focusing heavily on technical innovation and geographic expansion, particularly into the Finnish market. This strategic move coincides with Finland's decision to move away from its long-standing state monopoly held by Veikkaus towards a competitive licensing system for private operators. The appointments reflect a broader industry trend of prioritizing compliance and localized expertise in newly regulated jurisdictions.

Alex Woodhams has joined the company as Chief Product Officer, based in the London office. Woodhams arrives with five years of experience as CPO at Spotlight Sports Group, the parent company of Racing Post. His background also includes roles at major global brands such as Tesco, Dell, O2, and Just Eat, providing him with a robust foundation for scaling digital platforms. Joining him is Kristoffer Ottosson as Director of IT Operations. Ottosson previously spent four years as COO at Internet Vikings, a specialized iGaming IT provider, bringing deep knowledge of building and scaling technology infrastructure for the betting industry.

Numbers and facts

The appointment of Sara Nunes as General Manager for Finland is perhaps the most significant indicator of the group's future direction. Nunes has a wealth of experience from her time at High Roller Technologies, Rootz, Kindred Group, and Betsson Group. The Finnish market is scheduled to open to private betting companies in July 2027. According to reports, ComeOn is expected to be one of more than 50 firms entering the market. The scale of the opportunity is evident in Veikkaus' 2025 performance, where the state operator recorded 2.7 million registered customers and generated 61% of its gross gaming revenue (GGR) through digital channels. Furthermore, Veikkaus reported contributing €466 million to society in 2025, alongside managing approximately 50,000 active self-exclusions.

"We are building ComeOn for its next stage of growth, and having the right leadership and capabilities across the organisation is a fundamental part of that. Alex, Sara and Kristoffer bring deep expertise across three areas that are increasingly important to our strategy - product, local market leadership and technology." - Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group

Background

In addition to the new hires, Sherwin Jarvand has been promoted from Chief Growth Officer to Chief Operating Officer (COO). CEO Juergen Reutter noted that this promotion recognizes Jarvand's previous contributions and grants him a broader mandate across all customer-facing operations. ComeOn is already well-established in the Nordic region, operating the Snabbare brand in Sweden and Casinostuen in Denmark. Entering Finland is a natural progression of this regional strategy. However, experts emphasize that Finland should not be viewed as a simple copy of its neighbors. New licensees will need sophisticated technology, efficient KYC processes, and localized responsible gambling (RG) tools to succeed in a market where players have high expectations for trust and social responsibility.

Why it matters for German players

For players in Germany, the expansion of reputable operators like ComeOn into new regulated markets signifies a strengthening of the legal gambling landscape in Europe. While this news focuses on Finland, the technical and compliance improvements made by such groups often translate across their entire operation. In Germany, the Fourth Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021) set strict standards for consumer protection. Players are encouraged to only use operators listed on the GGL whitelist. These licensed providers must adhere to the €1,000 monthly deposit limit and the €1 per spin stake limit for virtual slots, which are monitored via the LUGAS system.

The fact that ComeOn is hiring top-tier talent for IT and local management suggests that large operators are moving away from unregulated "gray market" models toward fully compliant, local licensing. This trend benefits German users by ensuring that the platforms they use are managed by professionals who understand the complexities of European regulation, player protection, and data security. The expertise gained by Sara Nunes in Finland regarding responsible gaming calls and self-exclusion management could potentially influence better service standards for players across all regulated markets, including Germany.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

German casinos operating under GGL supervision are in a constant battle for technological superiority and market share. When international groups like ComeOn attract talent from specialized IT providers like Internet Vikings, it raises the bar for the entire industry. GGL-licensed operators in Germany must navigate some of the strictest reporting and player monitoring requirements in the world. The strategic hires at ComeOn indicate that the European market for regulated gaming is maturing, and only those with the best technical and operational leadership will thrive. For German providers, this means continuous investment in their platforms is necessary to remain competitive as the focus of major global players shifts towards the newly liberalized Nordic markets.