Can I play at foreign online casinos from Finland?
Yes — playing has never been a crime for the player, and the whole system is changing. The new Gambling Act was confirmed on 16 January 2026: operators have been able to apply to the National Police Board for a licence since 1 March 2026, and the licensed market — betting, online casino, slots and bingo — opens on 1 July 2027, ending Veikkaus' exclusivity in those games. Until then, playing on foreign sites is allowed for the player but unregulated. Here is the detail people forget: winnings from casinos licensed outside the EEA (e.g. Curaçao) are taxable income you must declare yourself — winnings from EEA-licensed operators are tax-free.
📋 The rules
- Playing at a foreign online casino is not punishable for the player — Finnish sanctions target operators and marketing.
- Parliament passed the new Gambling Act on 16 Dec 2025; it was confirmed 16 Jan 2026, and licence applications to the National Police Board opened 1 Mar 2026.
- The licensed market opens 1 Jul 2027: betting, online casino, slots and bingo move to licensees; Veikkaus keeps lotteries, scratch cards, physical slot machines and casinos.
- Winnings paid by EEA-licensed operators are tax-free; winnings from outside the EEA (e.g. Curaçao) are taxable income.
- From July 2027 the supervisor can block unlicensed operators: payment blocking, content removal and seizure of .fi domains.
🔓 Exceptions
- Bonuses: the new act allows bonuses only for existing customers — welcome bonuses disappear from the licensed market.
- Affiliate marketing is banned; advertising unlicensed casinos to Finland is already prohibited.
- Veikkaus keeps exclusivity in lotteries, scratch cards, physical slot machines and casinos — the licensed market covers only betting and online games.
⚠️ Penalties
There is no penalty for players under the current or the new law — bans and sanction fees target operators and marketing. The real financial risk is the tax office: undeclared non-EEA winnings can bring back taxes and surcharges, and the duty to declare them sits entirely with you. On the operator side, from July 2027 the supervisor can hit unlicensed sites with payment blocking, content removal and seizure of .fi domains — which reaches the player in a simple way: deposits and withdrawals can just stop working.
📎 Sources
- Finnish Government · Gambling system reform — licensing model →
- Arpajaislaki.fi · Finnish gambling legislation hub →
- Summary · 2026 reform: timeline, 22% GGR tax, bonus limits →
❓ Frequently asked questions
Is playing at offshore casinos illegal in Finland?
Not for the player. Finnish regulation has always targeted companies and marketing — the player is not punished under the current law nor under the new one.
When does the Veikkaus monopoly end?
Exclusivity in betting and online casino games ends 30 June 2027, and the competitive licensed market opens 1 July 2027. Lotteries, scratch cards and physical casinos stay with Veikkaus.
Are online casino winnings tax-free?
Winnings paid by EEA-licensed operators are tax-free. Winnings from outside the EEA are taxable income — declare them yourself, or face back taxes with surcharges.
Will welcome bonuses still exist?
In the licensed market bonuses may only be offered to existing customers, and affiliate marketing is banned. Welcome bonuses therefore vanish from licensed sites.
What happens to unlicensed sites in 2027?
From July 2027 the supervisor can block them: payment blocking, content removal and seizure of .fi domains. The player isn't punished, but the money flow can simply be cut off.
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