There are some big casinos in Finland, including one of the world’s biggest in the city of Helsinki. There are also many other top gambling destinations. If you didn’t know any better then you might think that this was a country big on gambling and one that operated much like the UK, where gambling is huge and widespread.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Finland?
The truth is a little different though. The gambling laws are a little more complicated than that. Because while gambling is legal here, it is only legal in certain forms. And the gambling that is technically illegal, is not actually illegal. Makes sense? We didn’t think so, but this guide on Top Finland Casinos will help to make things a little clearer and to point you towards the best online casinos for players in Finland.
This is usually not an easy question to answer, as there are a lot of grey areas. In Finland, things are a little clearer, but there is no one law across the board, which can make things somewhat murky.
All gambling is controlled by the state. That’s the way that governments like it and it’s the way they usually try to arrange it. For the most part, they fail, allowing big money companies to come in and control things. That is what happened in Australia and many other countries. In Finland, however, they have complete control.
If you are gambling within the country, and if you are using services that are also based within the country then you are not breaking any laws. If you are gambling on a company that is based overseas, however, then it’s technically illegal, but there are still may companies offering such services and it’s those who will suffer the consequences, not the players.
Finland Online Gambling Laws Explained
Finland has a complicated relationship with gambling. There are state-controlled casinos that use the money they generate to help local charities, with a lot of the money going to help gambling addicts, which is quite ironic when you think about it. Online gambling is a little harder to find and while overseas companies do offer it to players within Finland, they do so at a great risk.
Many of the bigger online casinos out there don’t want to take any risks. The market in Finland is not huge, so they tend to ignore and simply restrict their services to players from this country. The smaller casinos, as well as casinos based in Scandinavia and Russia, are more willing to take the risk. And they get away with it, because this is not really something that the authorities are willing (or able) to clamp down on.
The most important thing to remember as a player is that you are not breaking any laws by playing on overseas online casinos. So, while the very best real money casinos may not offer there services to you, if you find a smaller one that does, then by all means play on it. Nothing in the criminal code says that the player is breaking a law and you are pretty much free to gamble as you choose as a result.
Which Casinos Accept Players from Finland
As we mentioned above, many of the bigger sites just don’t offer their services to players from Finland. But there are some exceptions to this rule. Bet365 is one of the biggest casinos and betting sites in the world, and as far as we can see, they do accept players from Finland.
So, if the world’s biggest gambling brand is willing to do it, and if they believe they are well within their rights, then there should be no issues for the player.
Many players from Finland are turned away from some of their casinos of choice so they get desperate. They start to think that they can only play on smaller, newer casinos, often taking a big risk in doing so. But this is simply not the case.
There are bigger casinos out there that will accept players from Finland, you just need to find them. And when you do, make sure you stick with them and take everything they can offer you.
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What Makes a Good Finland Casino?
Just because there are a few grey areas with regards to online gambling in Finland, doesn’t mean you should settle for a smaller casino. There are many top Finland casinos out there. When you are looking for these yourself you want to make sure that the casino you choose ticks all of the following boxes:
- Regulated: A top Finland casino should be regulated in Europe. It should also be licensed by commissions like the UK Gambling Commission, which means they have taken the effort to abide by local laws, even if they are not local to you. You should also look for security certificates, as this means that the site is safe and secure and that your details will also be safe and secure.
- Audited: All of the best real money online casinos will have an audit report. This checks to make sure the site is safe, the software is fair, and the casino is exactly what it says it is. Look for “eCogra” reports and make sure you read them.
- Bonuses: You can find big matched deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses and free spins. Look for package bonuses that offer all of these, because there are many out there. With so many sites offering big bonuses to new players from Finland, it would be stupid not to take advantage of them and to signup to a casino that doesn’t offer them.
- Loyalty Schemes: If you are a hardened gambler who likes to spend a lot of time on online casinos, then you will want to make sure that you find one with a loyalty scheme. Spin Palace is good for this, but there are others out there.
What Makes a Bad Casino?
The worst thing you can do as a player from Finland is to assume that you don’t have a lot of choice and then to accept any online casino that comes along. This is what many players do, and they end up getting stung as a result. This is how gamblers are scammed, it’s how they end up disillusioned with the industry.
Don’t let the gambling laws and the government’s position over overseas gambling scare you. Just put your trust in the biggest online casinos and you’ll be okay. After all, if a huge billion-dollar brand like Bet365 is prepared to offer gambling services to Finland for the sake of a few thousand extra players, then there is clearly nothing wrong and nothing you need to worry about.
Always look for casinos with the big reputation, the big names and the big money. They are the ones you can trust the most, but they are also the ones who will offer you the best games and the best bonuses. And if you are ever not sure about a certain casino then simply run a Google search on it.
That way, if there are negative reports and bad reviews, and if it is on a casino black list then you will know about it and you will be able to see it for yourself.