Gambling was part of the history of Finland right from the period when Finland gained independence. Before then, it was banned under the criminal code for a stretch of approximately twenty years. Even though gambling had existed in Finland since the 17th century, all gambling activities and the gambling industry in general have always been under the total control of the government. The governmental control has gone on for several years and does not seem to change at any point in the near future.
The key takeaway here is that in spite of the monopoly over Finland's gambling sector, gambling is not taboo and is absolutely legal. So, there is no cause for concern, as there are no prohibitions on taking part in offshore gambling websites that welcome Finnish gamblers. In short, you can play safely at the online casinos listed below—so go ahead, register, and enjoy playing the exciting games on offer, including a huge selection of popular play n go games.
The legal age for gambling, including online casinos in Finland, is 18 years and older. However, if you choose to play on an offshore site, you are expected to comply with the age requirement of the respective jurisdiction if it happens to be different. The state regulates all issues relating to the gambling industry and issues licenses to land-based and online casinos.
The legislation governing it is the Lottery Act, which establishes a system of exclusivity and stipulates exhaustive regulations for the nation's gambling business, which operates on a "3 + 1" monopoly principle. Under the system, special licenses are granted for separate sectors of the business, and a single license is granted at a time for up to a long-term period. The government retains the power to issue and revoke these licenses.
The government of Finland has constructed a peculiar system of governance in the gambling sector. This system, also known as the "3 + 1" system, is comprised of three state-owned enterprises that come under the umbrella of the state directly. Each of these oversees some spheres of the online gambling business.
In addition to these three providers, there is a fourth company named PAF. PAF differs from the others in the sense that it is solely responsible for the regulation of all gambling activities in the Åland province. Åland is a geographic region consisting of approximately 6,700 autonomous islands in the Baltic Sea, separated from the Finnish mainland.
By giving these single operators full control of the whole gambling industry and not letting others seize it, the government has established a regulated monopoly. They are attempting this in a bid to successfully cut off potential criminal activity and have some form of control of the people. And it appears they have been largely successful. This is especially clear considering that the Gambling Law has been amended officially only once, which tightened up the existing system until the current day.
Online gaming truly does have its worth, and one of the most prominent is the endless stream of promotions and offers available at Finnish online casinos. Not all of them are equal, of course. People enjoy being pampered, and the Finnish online casino industry does have some of the best bonuses for local players.
A welcome bonus is a must for any gambling site. The bigger and more attractive it is, the more it will encourage players to join the site. Additional bonuses are employed as player retention mechanisms and to ensure that players continue playing on a consistent basis. Finnish online casinos are masters at providing attractive welcome bonuses, and some of our favorites are given below.
No matter how attractive these offers are, you must remember that online casinos in Finland do not provide free money. You must meet some terms and conditions to be eligible and use the bonus value. The most crucial condition is the wagering requirement, which specifies how many times you must play through the bonus value to unlock it. This requirement varies from casino to casino, but a standard measure is up to 35 times.
This is the main factor in determining the value of an offer. You may receive a massive bonus but have to wager it 70 times, which may prove extremely tough—especially during a promotional period. In some cases, it may be more worthwhile taking a lower wagering requirement than taking a bigger bonus. As you can tell, we've hand-picked each online casino Finland has to ensure they meet predetermined industry standards.
Having various deposit and withdrawal options is a key factor for players when choosing a casino. The ability to choose from multiple methods—and having a reliable backup—offers peace of mind. This is especially true when a less common method is available. Each of the Finnish online casino sites we’ve handpicked provides an exciting user experience and a wide selection of payment methods to choose from.
Anticipate witnessing a significant portion of the world's most popular payment systems, including VISA, MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, Trustly, Sofort, Paysafecard, EcoPayz, Nordea, and a multitude of others. You can also experiment with the best Bitcoin casinos in Finland. The overall variety of credit and debit cards, e-wallets, and other transfer methods is more than sufficient for us—and we're confident it will be the same for you.
One of our personal favorite payment systems by far is PayPal. It's also used by top online gambling sites for Finnish players. The e-wallet has turned into a powerhouse in the world of financial transactions—and for good reason. Its widespread acceptance and loyal following have made it a mandatory addition for the majority of online casinos.
Among the advantages of this payment method, there is the policy of no fees, instant transfer, and decent customer protection policy. Unfortunately, it's not as widely accepted at online casino sites in Finland as it is in many other countries. That doesn't necessarily mean it's not available at all, however. Some of our highest ranked that do accept it are included below.