Power Ray
Finland’s national gaming operator RAY saw revenue increase over 9 percent to reach a record €739.1 million in 2011. Profit on the revenue climbed almost 8 percent to €410.8 million.
The company noted that slots at its partner venues produced €572.9 million in revenue, while RAY’s own arcades generated €94.1 million.
Slot revenue averaged out to €122 per resident of Finland, up €7 on that of 2010.
The increase surprised many, because at the start of July last year, Finland raised its minimum age for slot play from 15 to 18.
Jari Kivelä, RAY’s director of business sites, said, “Raising the age limit turned out to be a positive change in the end, though beforehand we were speculating that raising the age limit might reduce gaming.”
But perhaps it was other changes that worked in RAY’s favor.
In 2011, RAY introduced the option of using banknotes and debit cards to play its traditionally coin-activated games.
The operator also renewed its stock of slot machines, improved the technical performance of games and offered its own newly designed and developed games.
