This year, CasinoNewsDaily attended the London Affiliate Conference for the very first times since it was launched in September 2014. Despite everyone’s busy schedule, ours included, we found time for quick chats with representatives for some of the world’s most popular gambling operators at the moment.
The first of a our series of short interviews is with Didi Taihuttu, Brand Manager for PlayGrand Casino. Mr. Taihuttu talked to us about his brand, his experience at the LAC, and his opinion on more general topics such as the future of the gambling industry.
Could you, please, first introduce yourself?
Hi! My name is Didi Taihuttu. I am the Brand Manager for PlayGrand Casino. PlayGrand Casino is an online casino that was launched in 2012 and we did a rebrand in August 2015.
Where are you based?
We are based in Malta.
Tell us more about you brand? What exactly do you offer to your gambling customers?
We are a classy brand. We focus on high rollers. We offer them quite an attractive three-layer bonus and a number of other promotions.
You said your business is focused on high roller players. How do you treat them in order to make them come back to your website?
They get VIP accounts, they get direct telephone numbers of our affiliate managers, they can call 24 hours a day. It is really a treatment that we offer. We invite them to our parties all over the world. We have some dinners together. This is just how you treat a VIP player.
Is this your first time at the LAC?
This is our first time with a booth at the LAC. We were in Berlin last year, as well. We’ve also been at the Summit of iGaming Malta.
And in what way events like these help you business?
It’s just sort of branding for us. We have been doing very good business already, but you have to show people that you are still alive, you are still there, you are still playing the game. And you meet a lot of new people, a lot of new affiliates, and it’s the main reason why we are here.
In what countries do you operate?
The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, all over the world. Our primary market is the UK. The Norwegian market is also very good at the moment. We’ve just went live with our Norwegian and Swedish versions. We are also planning to go live with German language in April. And after that, we will go live with more languages if needed.
You’ve said that the UK is your primary market at the moment. As you probably know, the Point of Consumption tax was introduced there back in December 2014. How did it impact your business?
I think that our whole branch was affected by the Point of Consumption tax. Despite that, our business in the UK is growing all the time. And we’re doubling up. Since rebranding, we’ve been doubling up our numbers every month. Our conversion is crazy at the moment. It’s perfect.
And our final question. Where do you see the industry in five years from now?
Ah, that’s a great one. I’ve seen everything come by. I think the market will grow more and will be opened in more countries, I think it will do very good for the affiliates. And I think gambling itself will grow because first of all, the economic situation around the world isn’t great, and when the economic situation isn’t great, people tend to go gambling and to spend more time having fun. So, I think it all will do fine for us.
