The investigative branch of Kasinoranking.com contacted Head of Business Development and Operations for OneTouch hoping to get answers for Finnish players. Petra Maria Poola accepted the challenge and took some time to share her visions, knowledge of games and the philosophy behind this prestigious game provider. 

OneTouch is the game provider to watch 2021 and it’s already recognized as the most dedicated supplier of mobile optimized content for casinos. The slogan “Premium Mobile Games” makes perfect sense, and the games are both creative and highly functional when it comes to mechanics or gameplay.

Up till this day the Finnish players might still not know OneTouch well enough. That’s why an interview was a must. Here is what Petra shared to us. Enjoy the exclusive read!

“What’s your background, how did you end up in the iGaming business?”

After buying my first camera at the age of 12, I began my career as a photographer. As a teenager, I launched my own company specializing in photography and marketing. 

The interest in gaming particularly started approximately seven years ago when I began working with live poker festivals. We hosted events throughout Europe and spending long days in the casino eventually piqued my interest in the industry itself.  After moving to the island three years ago, it was only a matter of time before I joined this fascinating industry on a full-time basis at SiGMA as a Senior Account Manager. I got dragged into this colourful world of gaming full of diversity and my love for the industry started there. 

Working there allowed me to develop a better understanding of the industry, our clients and the markets they operated in. The experience I gained spawned a wealth of opportunities, including my current position at OneTouch. The team here is fantastic, and I hope to develop many new working relationships with operators and platform providers in the igaming industry.

“Where are you based and how many employees do you currently have? What’s best part of working for OneTouch?”

While I am based in the sunny island of Malta, we also have a head office in Estonia, as well as additional spaces in Ukraine, Spain and Manila. With 50 employees and counting, we’re a rapidly growing studio with a promising future ahead. 

I’ve been with the company for sixth months, and the team has been absolutely fantastic in supporting me every step of the way. Our work environment is tremendously fun and fast paced which makes the working even easier. It’s brilliant to learn more about the industry with each passing day. Our mobile-first portfolio of games represents a strong team effort, and the team’s enthusiasm certainly shines through in the quality of our products. 

“Mobile first but your slots look nice in desktop as well. OneTouch symbolizes something that is easy and quick to use with no hassle whatsoever. In OneTouch’s view, which features create the perfect game (slot / table)?”

OneTouch saw a gap in the market for premium casino games created with a mobile-first approach. In our eyes, the perfect game consists of a user-interface which is easy to navigate, as well as a detailed and appealing design and immersive soundtrack. Each of the titles in our interactive catalogue is unique, while retaining the innovative gameplay which has become our trademark. 

“Do you have logic or a blueprint you follow in new game designs? Besides mobile-first ergonomic designs and single-touch interactivity, how do you try to be more creative than your competitors? What are your greatest innovations that are unique to OneTouch?”

We’ve built a diverse variety of titles based on current player preferences. We accommodate the full range of experience levels, catering to long-term enthusiasts with the conventional game features that have been tried and tested, as well as complete newcomers with fresh elements from outside the industry. 

We put a lot of effort into making games that stand out from the crowd. With today’s slot market more saturated than ever before, it’s vital to differentiate yourself from the competition. 

“19 slots and 17 table games so far. Are you planning on putting more emphasis on either product? How many games do you plan to release monthly or yearly? How does conquering new markets go hand in hand with planning in general?”

Our plan for the coming year is to launch at least one game a month. When it comes to new markets, we will continue expanding across European and Latin American territories, and look forward to extending our player reach in a range of regulated jurisdictions. We’re also fine-tuning our authentic live dealer offering and will be releasing more localised table games such as Teen Patti.

“It might be that not too many Finns know of OneTouch. Casinos with a Curacao licence are not very popular among Finns. Any plans for taking over Finland?

OneTouch is laser-focused on European expansion, and that includes the Finnish market. The territory is on the verge of changing its licensing regime, allowing privately-run operators to compete with the providers that currently have a monopoly. That regulatory process hasn’t started just yet, but we’re keeping a close eye on any developments. 

“Finns love Jackpots (and very high volatility slots in general) – Should we expect to see jackpot games from OneTouch any time soon?”

It’s certainly on our agenda. We’ve got jackpot games in the pipeline for the medium-term future but continuing to produce titles of the finest quality is the most important item on our priority list. 

Jackpots are great, but they don’t compensate for low-quality content: good jackpots solutions should supplement good games, not the other way round. That’s why maintaining a consistent stream of world class OneTouch games is our foremost objective, rather than immediately launching a new jackpot product. 

“What can we expect from OneTouch in the upcoming months?”

We’ve got some exciting news for the first quarter of 2021. OneTouch has been developing a new live dealer product and can’t wait to launch it at the start of next year. We have partnered with the Bombay Club High Roller Studio, who currently run a VIP live casino studio in Latvia. 

Our plan is to launch a live VIP studio in the coming months, to authentically recreate the land-based experience for players stuck at home due to Coronavirus. Roulette and Baccarat are live now, and punters should keep an eye out for the world class Blackjack tables set to follow soon!

The Team of Kasinoranking would like to thank Petra for this wonderful interview. All the best and hopefully the future will be prosperous for OneTouch!

The Finnish version of the interview can be found here:
https://www.kasinoranking.com/artikkelit/onetouch-haastattelu/