The iGaming market in Finland is one that has been getting a lot of attention recently. Veikkaus currently has a monopoly in this region but could that be something that changes in the near future?
Laatukasinot is a leading affiliate site that offers quality reviews and relevant news for casino players in Finland. This brand has been working hard to build its reputation and stand out in a crowded market. We spoke with Laatukasinot Director Will Brilling to find out more about how they are making this happen. Hear what Will had to say below.
Affiverse: Tell us a bit more about Laatukasinot – How do you choose casinos to review and recommend to players?
Will Brilling: “Laatukasinot can be summarised in three words. Quality, Experience and Relevance. Not only do we list casinos, interview slot providers and test slots, but we also create news pieces about the industry, the monopoly and create guides which our readers find helpful when choosing a casino.
We are in a good place in which we are constantly reached out to by casino representatives, but we carefully select the partners we work with. Licensing, deposit methods and games are one factor, but we take it further and also pinpoint customer service availability, how the site is written or translated and if this can be considered a genuine and safe casino for Finnish players to play.
We’ve all seen the casinos listing amazing welcome bonuses that to the blind eye looks too good to be true only to find out that there is a very low max cap on winnings or an unreasonably high wagering requirement. That does not mean that the casino itself is bad, but it does mean that I wouldn’t recommend anyone taking up on their welcome offer. We highlight that in our reviews and make sure that the reader has the knowledge they need to make a good decision of their own when they look for a casino to play at.”
AI: What makes your site unique in a busy marketplace? Why should players visit your website over other affiliate sites?
WB: “Our flagship site Laatukasinot.com is becoming more and more of a household brand in Finland and the reasons behind this are many.
We work with an omni-channel mind-set involving our readers to interact with both our website but also through our social media channels. The brand name translates to Quality Casinos and we take pride in doing meticulous research when it comes to the brands we work with.
Secondly, we believe that educating the reader will give them a better experience, so we put a lot of focus on explaining how a certain deposit method works and showcasing the whole journey. Another aspect of Laatukasinot is the undivided attention we give to slot releases. We love games ourselves and our readers do too, so we put a lot of emphasis on upcoming slots, new features and carefully explain how the game works as buzz words such as Cascading Symbols, Sticky Wilds and Megaways can be unclear to the average player.”
AI: How do you think instant casinos have helped to evolve the gambling industry in Finland?
WB: “It has evolved the general consensus but not revolutionised it. There are plenty of traditional registration casinos that still do very well, because of loyalty, tonality and adhering to their players. One thing that we’ve seen more and more over the recent years though is localised branding. Instead of branding on a global level, operators create casinos with Finnish connotations, if you add instant casino features to the mix you might have something great going on.”
AI: Do you think that the gambling regulations in Finland do enough to protect players?
WB: “It’s a tough question based on experience and perception. Do I think enough is done? No. Do I believe that it has taken leaps over the past 10-15 years? Absolutely.
The Finns are exposed to slot machines basically anywhere. You will find a section with slot machines at your local supermarket and you can spin a few rounds at the gas station while you wait for the queue to get shorter. Meanwhile, advertising about casinos in Finland is strictly prohibited for anyone other than Veikkaus. So, the TV commercials aren’t stuffed with gambling adverts like in the UK and Sweden, however – it’s hard not to go on with your everyday life without being exposed in one way or another.
With that being said, I know that more and more measures are being put in, with KYC, the players and understanding the gambling patterns that can be considered at risk.”
AI: Do you think that the Veikkaus monopoly over the Finnish market will come to an end?
WB: “Eventually yes. I don’t see it happening in the next two years, but I believe we will see a day where casinos can operate alongside Veikkaus. This way, the shady casino operations will come to an end and we’ll see stricter measures on who can operate the Finnish Market and ultimately safeguard the players better.”
AI: What trends do you expect to see in the industry over the next few years?
WB: “Apart from more and more market regulations which I for one welcome and embrace, I also think the main trend is compliance. And not in the factor of being compliant but actually creating better standards and safer environments for players. A good example is Kindred, when more and more casinos lowered their RTP. Kindred went out to raise theirs. I find that phenomenal which will prove to have a long-term effect, rather than lowering RTP at risk of lowering the lifetime of a returning player. This is the sort of trends and commitment I expect to see from more and will ultimately safeguard the player at the end of the day.”
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