Are Traditional Casino Bonuses on the Way Out in Europe?

Across Europe, regulators are implementing stricter controls on casino bonuses. Sweden has limited welcome bonuses to a single offer capped at SEK 100. Finland's upcoming market liberalization will ban welcome bonuses entirely, allowing only certain retention offers for existing customers. The UK's Gambling Commission has been deliberating over wagering requirement caps.

Sweden's 2019 gambling reform included strict limitations on casino bonuses. By 2024, Sweden's channelization rate—the proportion of gambling activity within the licensed, regulated market—had fallen to 85% overall, with the online casino segment performing worse, at between 72% and 82%. When asked why they play on unlicensed sites, 21% of Swedish gamblers cited better bonuses as a primary reason.

Gustaf Hoffstedt, Secretary General of the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling, has insisted that bonusing needs to change for Sweden to see stronger channelization rates. The UK Gambling Commission requires terms and conditions to be clearly displayed in gambling operators’ promotional materials, aiming to address the issue of players not fully understanding how bonuses work.