AV Magazine
Finland has a different approach to gambling because a state-owned company, Veikkaus, owns a monopoly on the gambling business from national lottery to online sports bets and casino poker.
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It is in the
state’s interest to encourage ‘responsible’ gambling and so everything from the
location to the design to the integral AV of the country’s newest casino is
focused on providing an attractive venue for adult gamblers, as well as an
experiential destination for those totally uninterested in placing a bet.
Squaring that
circle began with a tender in 2019 followed by an extensive planning process.
Local digital signage specialist, Craneworks Oy won the project’s central
systems integration contract.
“The ambition was
to design a new kind of casino with a Scandinavian twist,” explains Craneworks’
managing director, Sami Käyhkö. “We had to make this a destination for gamers
and also a complete sensory experience for people who don’t want to play.”
Casino Tampere in
the heart of Finland’s second city, Tampere is the first new casino to be built
in the country for thirty years. The conceptual, architectural and interior
designs were delivered by a consortium comprising MUUAN and Amerikka, while
Craneworks and its sister company, Doohlabs are responsible for the AV and
media services.
“We all sat down
together and thought about how we would build it,” says Käyhkö. “In most cases
when we join a project everything is already done and we’re asked to put in
speakers and screens but in this case we were part of the process with the
architects giving our input into how to integrate technology in ceilings and
walls.”
Casino Tampere
connects to the existing 15,000-seat Nokia Arena complex which is home to two
major professional Finnish ice hockey teams and regular hosts of IIHF World
Championship and NHL Global Series games. As such the Casino has to work in
conjunction with Arena events and be an inclusive part of the complex’ leisure
experience.
Virta – the Finnish aesthetic
The design aesthetic is based on the Finnish concept of Virta, meaning ‘flow’
or ‘stream’, and described as “a green and inviting space that meanders its way
through the casino”. It is intended to evoke a lush, inviting space for
relaxation and socialising as well as gaming.
Consequently, the
interior of the casino is a thoughtful combination of wood finish, smart
lighting and digital surfaces. The wood panelling incorporates digital screens
that are used to display a wide range of continually updated content.
Craneworks selected
over 100 Samsung LED screens, which it also remote manages (using Samsung’s RM
system). Some are in portrait mode, others are curved, and all are programmed
to run ambient, animated content designed by Bob the Robot and Veli Creative
Oy. This reflects the four seasons, rotating a season every hour, in a style
Käyhkö describes as “Scandi meets nature with a Game of Thrones’ style magic.”
Any screen can also
be programmed for signage, such as identifying players at a poker game, or for
playing back sports. This includes live audio and video feeds of concert
performances and ice hockey games being played next door. For instance, when a
goal is scored, it triggers a ‘goal show’ across the casino’s AV system so that
gamers are kept up to speed with progress from the hockey rink. Such a facility
also aids the sportsbook.
LED signage boosts
the venue’s sustainability credentials: “The specifications were clear there
was to be no paper in the facility at all. All information publishing is done
to screen.”
Doohlabs’ Digital Signage CMS manages the daily content upload, scheduling and displaying of stills, video, sound and template (HTML5) content in loops. This is managed by Veikkaus mostly from its HQ in Helsinki, with some local content also handled by Tampere Casino staff. Displays can also be changed depending on demographics: more women in the casino might mean content displaying champagne bubbles; an ice hockey game drawing a male crowd might expect to see beer and food signage.
Premium audio is an
integral part of the experience and includes six separate 12.1 surround sound
zones in distinct gaming areas, each with their own dedicated theme and bespoke
interior aesthetic. One of them, called Kima, is dedicated to single-player
gaming. The lighting here glimmers and reflects. The dimly lit Louhos area is
designed for more sustained activity that calls for greater focus and careful
judgement. Mystiikka and Loiste are described as bringing an abundance of
Arctic colour that lights up the casino’s interior and exterior alike, while
Kuohu and Ukonkivi are both dedicated to showcasing the latest in gaming.
There are also
several stereo sound areas in various gaming rooms, lounges, the check-in area
and even the rest rooms. The stereo setups are mostly used for background music
and announcements. In total, over one hundred Genelec 4420 Smart IP
loudspeakers supported by thirteen 7050 subwoofers deliver the audio experience
throughout the casino.
“From a sound
quality and durability point of view, you can’t ask for more – Genelec stands
for quality and we’re pleased to use a Finnish brand,” says Käyhkö. “The other
major bonus points were full remote control – our HQ is in Helsinki about 150
km from the casino, so you don’t want to have to drive there just to adjust one
speaker – and easy on-the-fly configuration.”
Scenting a season
Arguably the most innovative aspect of the project is the inclusion of scent.
Not just one scent either but a series of different smells programmed in
different areas from 30 scent cannisters. This was done in collaboration with
sensory marketing expert, Sevende Aromas.
“The aim was to
design scents that harmonised with specific soundscapes and imagery to create a
total ambience for the changing of the seasons,” says Käyhkö.
Eight cannisters
are used in the Virta space, two more in the restrooms (different for men and
women) another at the casino entrance and others throughout the building.
Guests can even buy
a small bottle to take home. Käyhkö reports that this is quite a success. There
are also bespoke scents for occasions like Halloween and Christmas. “This was a
new thing for us and it was not easy. You have to feed the scent through the
aircon system and that means knowing how that is installed.
In fact, doing this
after the fact would have been impossible.
“The same goes for
attaching the subwoofers to the ceiling. If we’d not planned the space for each
of them in advance there would be no space. It was essential that we planned
with the architects.”
All the AV,
including programming of screens, all casino lighting and scent distribution
systems are built on an IP network and are controlled via a Crestron AV matrix
accessed by three touchscreens. Craneworks added Matrox Mura MPX cards as a
scaler to the video system. This everyday tool is for Casino personnel but can
also be remote managed via Crestron XIO cloud off-premises.
“The customer can
change the volume in any sound zone – or even the volume of an individual
speaker – via the touchscreen as well as route different sources to different
zones,” explains Käyhkö. “For example, in certain sports areas, the nearest IP
speakers are normally part of the Virta 12.1 soundscape, but if a customer
wants to see and hear the match at levels greater than the screen will allow,
we can mix the sport sound to the nearest loudspeakers.”
Smoke machines
Smoke machines pump atmospheres into the social gaming room (Ukonkivi),
centrepiece of which is a 4 x 98in screens curved videowall. Gamers here can
play against each other and team up and see their gameplay on the giant
screens. Winners are celebrated with smoke, lighting and content displays.
On top of the CMS,
Doohlabs has built an ‘experience management system’ tailor made for Casino
Tampere. This handles video, surround sound, lights, smoke and scents and
schedules these in sync with external triggers and data.
The casino is home
to two bars, operated by Noho Partners, each with their own identity. In the
middle of the Virta space, there is the Casino Emerald Lounge serving
Scandi-inspired tapas dishes and a wide range of cocktails and mocktails.
Suisto by the casino entrance is home to Casino Taproom, a brewery restaurant
where visitors can watch sports while enjoying the constantly changing beer
menu.
The one idea that
didn’t make it in the final project was an XR activation. “We had lots of ideas
for AR or VR such as visitors using their own cell phone to search and find
golden nuggets hidden in different places for which they could win a gift. The
budget wasn’t quite there to do this.”
Ari Tuuli, project
manager for casino operator, Veikkaus, is proud of what has been achieved.
“Casino Tampere is an experience,” he declares. “There is no other casino in
the world like it. We have created an environment that engages all the senses,
with specially developed soundscapes, video content and scent design that evoke
the different seasons, so that we are in sync with the natural world.”
Responsible gaming
Casino Tampere – like its sister casino in Helsinki – is also an advocate of
responsible gaming, holding the European Casino Association Responsible
Gambling
Framework
certificate. This includes mechanisms to enable players to self-regulate as
well as mandatory loss limits on slot machines. All gamblers in Finland will
have the Veikkaus app, even just to play lotto.
From the very first
visit, gamers become part of the ‘Know Your Game’ customer programme which
provides each gamer with their own personal Casino ID card. This card enables
players to authenticate themselves at the tables and slot machines, making it
one of the first European casinos to adopt this approach.
All Veikkaus’s
profits are used exclusively for the benefit of Finnish society, funding
culture, education, sports, science, youth initiatives and more.
A commitment to
social responsibility and sustainability informs every aspect of the design.
This is reflected in the use of sustainable, locally produced materials, energy
efficient LEDs and smart water consumption. The casino and Nokia Arena have
both been awarded LEED Gold certification.
The project opened
in December 2021. Veikkaus and Craneworks are now turning their attention to
upgrade the ten-year-old Helsinki casino beginning with a refreshed videowall
in place before start of the Qatar World Cup.”
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