Kasinohai’s review of 50 online casinos found that advertised wagering requirements often understated the amount players actually had to stake. The study comes as Finland moves toward a licensing system that will end welcome bonuses for new customers from 1 July 2027.

Researchers opened accounts, made deposits and claimed welcome bonuses to compare the terms shown at the point of claim with the total effect of each offer. 

In 22 cases, or 44%, the wagering requirement was based on the deposit and bonus combined rather than on the bonus alone. Another 15 casinos, or 30%, did not clearly state which basis applied in the terms visible at the time of claiming.

The impact of that structure can be substantial. Kasinohai said a 100-euro deposit matched by a 100-euro bonus with a nominal 30x requirement would need 3,000 euros of play if only the bonus counted, but 6,000 euros if the deposit was included. 

Multi-stage welcome packages also raised the effective burden, with some offers advertised at 20x to 30x reaching 40x once all steps were completed. Across the sample, 12 casinos set wagering requirements of 15x or lower, 19 required between 20x and 35x, and another 19 imposed requirements of 40x or higher.

The study also found that the small print often restricted how players could use bonuses. Twenty-two casinos, or 44%, did not state a maximum bet limit in the terms available when the offer was claimed, and where a limit existed, it was commonly around 5 euros per spin. 

Kasinohai noted that breaching the maximum bet is one of the more common reasons a bonus and any associated winnings are voided. The research also found that 58% of the casinos capped bonus winnings, with the lowest tier observed below 100 euros.

 

The Impact of Finland’s Reform on Bonus Offers

The findings arrive as Finland prepares to move from the Veikkaus monopoly to a licensing model. Under the Gambling Act (Rahapelilaki 10/2026), bonuses aimed at new customers will no longer be allowed once licensed operations begin on 1 July 2027. Draft decrees covering online game features and stake limits were circulated by the Ministry of the Interior on 10 June 2026 and remained open for public comment until 5 August 2026. The 50 casinos in the study were selected from those covered on Kasinohai’s own site and hold licences in Curaçao, Malta, Anjouan and Estonia.

Jari Vähänen, Co-Founder and Partner at The Finnish Gambling Consultants, said: “If the channelisation rate remains lower than expected and the number of problems does not increase, then I expect relaxations, at least affiliates and possibly welcome bonuses, in the legislation.”

The point-in-time snapshot therefore offers a benchmark for how bonus terms worked before the shift to a licensed market. Kasinohai said the full findings, dataset and methodology are available in its June 2026 bonus terms study. 

 

 

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