Kasinohai’s Study on 50 Online Casinos Highlights Challenges Ahead of Finland’s Gambling Reform
Kasinohai’s Investigation into Finnish Online Casinos
Kasinohai recently conducted a comprehensive study examining 50 online casinos that cater to Finnish players. The research revealed that advertised wagering requirements often underestimate the actual amount players must stake. During live testing from June 15 to 30, 2026, Kasinohai’s team created accounts, deposited real funds, and claimed welcome bonuses across these sites. They carefully recorded the promotional terms offered at the point of bonus redemption and calculated the overall impact of these terms throughout the entire offer.
Upcoming Changes in Finland’s Gambling Regulations
These findings come at a crucial time as Finland transitions from the Veikkaus monopoly to a licensing system under the new Gambling Act (Rahapelilaki 10/2026). Starting July 1, 2027, licensed operators will no longer be allowed to offer bonuses to new customers. Additionally, the Ministry of the Interior released draft regulations covering online game features and stake limitations on June 10, 2026, with a public consultation period open until August 5, 2026.
Industry Expert Insights
Jari Vähänen, Co-Founder and Partner at The Finnish Gambling Consultants, shared his perspective on July 6, 2026. He highlighted the significant challenges these restrictions pose for online casinos, especially as affiliate marketing and welcome bonuses face prohibitions. According to Vähänen, such measures are particularly problematic for digital casino operators.
Understanding Wagering Calculations and Complex Bonus Structures
The study uncovered two key factors that increased the effective wagering demands beyond what was initially advertised. Firstly, 44% of the casinos (22 out of 50) based the wagering requirements on the total of the deposit plus the bonus, rather than just the bonus amount. For example, a 100-euro deposit matched by a 100-euro bonus at a 30x wagering requirement would require stakes totaling 6,000 euros instead of the advertised 3,000 euros. Additionally, 30% of casinos did not clearly specify the basis of their wagering requirements at the claim stage.
Secondly, multi-stage welcome packages further amplified wagering demands. Offers distributed across multiple deposits, each with individual requirements, resulted in some packages with stated 20x to 30x wagering requirements reaching an effective total closer to 40x once fully completed.
Overall, wagering requirements varied considerably: 24% of casinos had requirements of 15x or less, 38% fell within 20x to 35x, and another 38% set requirements of 40x or higher.
Bonus Terms, Betting Limits, and Restrictions
Almost half of the casinos (44%) did not disclose a maximum bet limit within the bonus terms at the time of claiming. Where limits were specified, they typically hovered around 5 euros per spin. According to Kasinohai, surpassing these bet limits is a common reason for voiding bonuses and any associated winnings.
Moreover, 58% of the casinos enforced caps on potential bonus winnings, with some caps set below 100 euros. Restrictions on eligible games were widespread, seen at 74% of casinos, with about one-third excluding live casino games from contributing towards wagering requirements. Interestingly, 16% of the casinos did not set any time limit for fulfilling wagering conditions.
The study also noted player-favorable variations, as roughly 25% of casinos offered wagering requirements considered lenient, and a small portion limited requirements strictly to the bonus amount.
Research Methodology and Study Limitations
The study was conducted by researchers Mimmi Malmström, Laura Korhonen, and Lilli Partanen. The 50 casinos analyzed were selected from those featured on Kasinohai’s platform rather than chosen randomly. These casinos possess licenses from jurisdictions including Curaçao, Malta, Anjouan, and Estonia, with many unlikely to seek Finnish licensing. The results represent a specific snapshot in time, focusing solely on welcome bonuses, and do not identify individual casino operators.
Previously, Kasinohai categorized wagering requirements between 20x and 35x as reasonable, aligning with typical market standards, though this classification is currently under review.
Jari Vähänen indicated that further legislative adjustments might follow depending on market developments. If channelisation rates fall short of expectations without a rise in gambling problems, there could be easing of restrictions on affiliates and possibly welcome bonuses. Thus, the current observations on bonus terms provide valuable insights ahead of these reforms.
The complete dataset, findings, and methodology details are available in Kasinohai’s June 2026 bonus terms study.
About Kasinohai
Founded in 2015, Kasinohai is a well-established independent platform for comparing online casinos. With a specialized team that has evaluated over 1,000 casinos, Kasinohai is recognized for its transparency and dedication to promoting responsible gambling practices.
