Crafting the Future of British EGM Cabinets for Merkur and Blueprint

The goal of envisioning the next generation, state-of-the-art cabinet for Britain’s cabinet market, was concluded before the summer of 2023. The work continued through the end of 2023 to complete the vision for the future of the Britan’s brick and mortar gaming.

- We have a very clear understanding on the specific features and needs for cabinets in different settings. We have been building our own cabinets since the day one from 1938 and therefore we have gained knowledge on the large scale. We believed that we could really help optimize the cabinets for other markets and were happy to collaborate with such strong players as Merkur and Blueprint Operations, says Timo Kiiskinen, the Managing Director of Fennica Gaming.

- We have decades worth of knowledge when it comes to designing and operating gaming cabinets. We have always strived to stay ahead in exceeding player expectations both in design and technology wise. The model we have now designed for Merkur, and particularly for its British subsidiary Blueprint Operations, seamlessly blend aesthetics, functionality, security and the best-in-class player engagement, explains Aaro Kurkela, the design manager overseeing the Fennica’s design project.

- Merkur is a company that strives to develop products in line with the latest customer needs and sets the highest industry standards. We take responsibility seriously, initiating the lifecycle of the cabinets and product recycling well in advance. As we plan to update our cabinets in the UK market, we reached out to Fennica Gaming to design a cabinet that meets the latest standards, states Sascha Blodau, the General Manager from Gauselmann UK.

Blueprint Operations operates Merkur’s cabinets in the UK and Kevin Schmidt, the responsible for international products at Blueprint Operations, knows exactly what the players are seeking. 
- Given the extensive experience of the parent company Veikkaus in operating gaming arcades and points of sale, it was an easy decision to choose Fennica Gaming as our design partner, known for their professionalism and the whole Veikkaus Group’s player-focused approach. We are very happy with the outcome and modernization of the cabinet. The production team can now very easily start to plan the production of the cabinet.

- The co-operation worked smoothly. We had the opportunity to discuss with sales personnel and cabinet maintenance professionals at Blueprint Operations, as we believe that local experts possess the best knowledge of their market needs. We designed a product with a cutting-edge design and provided Merkur and Blueprint Operations a clear vision of what the future holds for Britan’s cabinet market, Aaro Kurkela concludes.

The final product will be produced in the volume of thousands for British gaming arcades and points of sale.  These cabinets will be distributed by Blueprint Operations in the UK starting in 2025.

Fennica Gaming is also pushing forward a content provider position in the future to follow the good start at the Swedish markets.