Finland Slot Draft Puts Autoplay and Game Shows in Question

Finland’s proposed gambling rules could force operators and suppliers to change how online slots work before the country’s new licence market opens. Kasinohai says the draft prepared under the Ministry of the Interior’s SM053:00/2023 process would ban autoplay in slot games and introduce age-based stake limits.

Kasinohai says the consultation period runs from June 10 to August 5, 2026. The draft says the new rules would take effect on July 1, 2027 if approved in their current form.

Autoplay Faces Removal from Slots

Kasinohai says the draft would require players to select their stake and start every slot round manually. A new round could not begin before the previous round ends.

That rule would remove one of the most common slot features. Researcher Lilli Partanen tested 49 slot games reviewed on Kasinohai and found autoplay in 45 of them, equal to 91.84% of the sample.

The sample is limited, but it shows why the rule matters for suppliers. If Finland keeps the current text, operators may need to disable or modify autoplay mechanics before they offer those games in the regulated market.

Kasinohai says the approach would align Finland with several other licence markets. The outlet lists Germany, the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland as markets where autoplay already has a ban.

Stake Caps Add Age-Based Compliance Work

The draft would cap online slot stakes at €20 per round for players aged 25 and over. For players under 25, the cap would fall to €10 per round.

A single market-wide cap would be simpler. This proposal requires operators to connect account age data with game controls, stake limits and player interfaces.

Kasinohai also notes a likely impact on bonus-buy features. The draft does not mention bonus buys directly, so this point remains an interpretation of the stake cap rather than an explicit ban.

Many bonus-buy mechanics require a one-off cost based on a multiple of the base stake. That structure could push some purchases above the proposed slot limit.

Slot Design Rules Go Beyond Autoplay

Kasinohai says the draft would also set a minimum slot round duration of 2.5 seconds. Players could not shorten the draw time before the result appears.

Separate product controls would bar simultaneous play across two or more slot games. Another rule would require time reminders every 15 minutes, after which the player must choose to continue or log out.

Kasinohai says the draft would restrict near-miss presentation and visual or audio cues that suggest a future win. The same section says the visual result must match the RNG result. Operators would also need to tell players when their choices do not affect the outcome.

Game Shows Remain Undefined

The live casino impact remains less clear. Kasinohai says the draft does not name game show products or give them a separate definition.

That gap matters because products such as Crazy Time and Monopoly Live often allow bets to continue automatically between rounds. Kasinohai cites reviews by Mimmi Malmström and Laura Korhonen of 398 live casino sites where game shows form a core part of the offer.

If Finnish regulators classify these products as slot-style games, Kasinohai says automatic bet continuation could fall under the same restriction. In that case, each round would require a separate player action and confirmation.

The draft does not confirm that outcome. For Evolution and other live casino suppliers, the key question is how Finnish regulators classify game shows.

Kasinohai also notes that a game software licence will be required by early July 2028. That gives suppliers a separate compliance deadline after the 2027 market launch.

💡TGJ Take

Finland’s draft is a product compliance issue, not only a licence issue. Operators can model €20 and €10 stake caps, but autoplay removal touches game setup, player controls, age checks and supplier integrations. The largest uncertainty sits with live casino. If game shows fall under slot-style rules, suppliers may need to change a core mechanic for Finland. Affiliates that cover Finland should review slot and game show content before launch, because autoplay and bonus-buy claims may become inaccurate under the draft rules.