Slight increase in slot machine game playing in Finland

Slot machine games are most popular in regions that have a lot of passing traffic. Travellers put their coins into slot machines in busy shopping centres or service stations, for example. According to RAY’s region-specific data, most slot machine games were played in Vironlahti during the first half of the year. In this municipality in Kymenmaa, an average of 155 euros was used on slots per head of the population. The traffic in Vironlahti is quite heavy, due to the Vaalimaa border crossing to Russia.

Last summer, Virolahti took first place from Pertunmaa, which is now in third place, with approximately 133 euros per resident used for slot machine games. Second place again went to Töysä, with a little under 135 euros per resident.

New games gain interest
RAY’s new slot machine games received a warm welcome from the public. Kulta-Jaska, RAY’s first themed game, became one of the most popular games soon after its introduction in 2010.  However, since last March, slot machine locations have been filled with guitar solos and loud, high-pitched singing. These sounds come from the ”Rautaa” theme game, which tells the story of a Finnish heavy metal band. In RAY’s arcades, Rautaa has become even more popular than the Kulta-Jaska game.

In addition to slot machine games, the games in RAY’s online casino were played more than ever before between January and June. “It seems that offering games online does not affect the popularity of the more traditional slot machines,” Kivelä points out.

The money generated from RAY’s slot machine games is used to promote health and social welfare in Finland.  RAY’s profits, over 390 million euros this year, are used to support health and social welfare organisations as well as for the benefit of Finnish war veterans.