Bye-bye!

This blog will be quite different compared to my former ones. This is a personal one and if you would like to learn something about the gambling business, you should wait the next blog and skip this. If you would like to know me better, you should continue reading…

Over 28 years is a long time. Probably some of the readers haven’t even lived as long time. That’s anyhow the period which I have been honored to work with the Finnish gambling operators. I started in the Horse Betting company and spent most of my time with Lottery & Sports Betting operator and now have worked last 3 years in the new Gambling company (lottery, sports betting, horse betting & casino). I could call myself as a veteran of gambling business although I’m not ready to admit that I’m old – mentally I’m still a young guy!

As you could guess from the title of this blog, it’s time to say goodbye for Veikkaus. I have mixed feelings about that. At the same time, I’m excited but also sad. I called old Veikkaus as my own company and that was my honest feeling. It might sound strange when someone is calling state-owned monopoly company as his own company, but that was the feeling I had. The marriage with the new Veikkaus hasn’t gone so well and I have had big difficulties to get that same feeling. To be honest, it hasn’t been even close to that. I have tried, but nothing has helped, and I haven’t been able to give my best.

If I use comparison from my sport, football, I would say that I’m still one of the best players who could play in almost whatever position. But as you know, it’s not only about the personal skills of players but also about the team’s tactic. Sometimes it happens that skillful player doesn’t manage very well when the way of playing is not suitable for him/her. I think that this is the case now with me and the new Veikkaus. They don’t need my style of a player anymore. I have been used to have an important role in the team and lately I have been mainly on the bench. That’s why I have now asked for a transfer to somewhere else.

I’m not 100 % sure what will happen next. Officially I’ll be Veikkaus employee still two months and after that there will be some restrictions where I could work. My “SBC Events friends” Rasmus and Andrew have offered me opportunity to act as their advisor until I could start real working again. It’s good to continue in the gambling business also during my “personal break”.

Of course I have already plans for the future. I’ll probably establish own gambling consulting company together with my partner. I’ll tell you more about that when it’s sure that we’ll do it. Anyhow I’m excited about possibilities to work with other gambling operators and suppliers and other companies related to our business. Although my operational level experiences are almost only from Finland, I’m sure that we could give profitable advices to all gambling companies globally. Let me know if you are keen on having cooperation with me/us. You could contact me via LinkedIn or send me email to: jarivahanen65@gmail.com !