TLDR A review of 50 online casinos serving Finnish players found many wagering requirements were higher than advertised 22 casinos calculated wagering requirements against both the deposit and the bonus, not just the bonus Nearly half of the casinos did not list a maximum bet limit in bonus terms Almost three quarters of casinos restricted which games count toward wagering requirements Finland will ban new-customer bonuses starting July 2027 under its new licensing system
A study of 50 online casinos has found hidden costs built into welcome bonuses offered to Finnish players. Casino comparison site Kasinohai carried out the research in June 2026.
Researchers opened real accounts, deposited money, and claimed bonuses to see how the offers actually worked. They then calculated the true wagering burden created by each promotion.
The study comes as Finland moves away from its state gambling monopoly toward a new licensing system. From July 2027, licensed operators will no longer be allowed to offer bonuses aimed at attracting new customers.
How Wagering Requirements Added Up
The research found differences in how casinos measured their wagering requirements. In 22 of the 50 casinos, the requirement applied to both the deposit and the bonus, not the bonus alone.
This meant a 30x requirement on a €100 deposit plus a €100 bonus could mean €6,000 in total bets. Under a bonus-only calculation, the same offer would need just €3,000.
Another 15 casinos did not clearly state whether the deposit was included when players claimed the offer. This left the true cost unclear at the moment of signup.
Some casinos split welcome packages into multiple deposit stages, each with its own requirement. Completing every stage of these packages could push the total wagering requirement to around 40x.
Across the full sample, 12 casinos had requirements of