Wynta is excited to share insights from our latest conversation in the Wynta Partner Playbook series. We sat down with Tuomo A.V. Järvelä, the driving force behind Retaiz, a digital agency dedicated to data-driven market expansion for iGaming clients. With nearly 20 years of experience spanning the industry’s evolution, Tuomo offers a clear vision for where operators must focus to thrive, especially as the landscape shifts toward advanced technology and stringent compliance.
Bridging the Execution Gap: The Need for Integrated Strategy
Tuomo’s experience has given him a unique vantage point on the challenges facing ambitious operators. When asked what spurred the creation of Retaiz, his answer highlighted a major industry flaw:
“After nearly two decades in iGaming, I observed a critical disconnect between operators’ expansion ambitions and their execution capabilities. Most agencies either focused purely on acquisition without understanding retention mechanics, or they provided generic marketing solutions that ignored the unique regulatory and cultural nuances of new markets. Retaiz was founded to bridge this gap by offering data-driven market entry strategies that combine compliance expertise with performance marketing. We don’t just help clients acquire users, we help them build sustainable, compliant businesses in markets they’ve never operated in before.”
This philosophy is crucial as Wynta establishes itself as a full-fledged Affiliate Management Platform of choice in the iGaming industry. We understand that sustainable success hinges not just on signing partners, but on integrating that partnership data seamlessly with operational reality.
The Operational Bottleneck: Fragmented Data is the Enemy
For operators looking to scale intelligently, the greatest obstacle isn’t a lack of data, but its poor organization. Tuomo pinpoints this internal friction clearly:
“The most pervasive bottleneck is fragmented data architecture. Operators often have player data in one system, affiliate performance in another, and payment processing insights scattered in a third. This creates a critical lag between identifying opportunities and acting on them.”
Wynta steps in precisely where this breakdown occurs. By centralizing performance metrics and player insights into a unified platform, Wynta eliminates the lag Tuomo describes. We empower operators to move from isolated departmental views to cohesive units focused on the player experience. As Tuomo notes, when teams share the same view, they “can coordinate efforts to serve customers better.”
The Future is Sovereign: Control Over AI and Operations
As we move toward a more automated future, the concept of Sovereign AI (controlling one’s own data infrastructure) becomes a vital differentiator for stability and compliance. Tuomo explains the urgency:
“Sovereign AI refers to operators maintaining control over their AI infrastructure, data and decision-making processes without relying on external cloud providers that may be subject to foreign regulations or data sovereignty issues… Beyond data sovereignty, private infrastructure provides critical operational stability that has become increasingly important given recent widespread cloud service disruptions.”
He points to recent real-world examples, noting that outages like the AWS outage disrupting services for nearly 15 hours in October, alongside concurrent Microsoft Azure disruptions, expose operators to massive risks. For iGaming, this means revenue loss and loss of control. Wynta champions this control by focusing on actionable, integrated intelligence, recognizing that data sovereignty is key to operational resilience. Furthermore, our focus aligns with his view that affiliate strategy must be “embedded in the business model from conception,” not as an afterthought.
Underutilized Power: Micro-Segmentation Over Generic Hype
While many chase flashy, overhyped trends, Tuomo points to where the real, measurable value lies. He considers AI-powered chat systems for customer service “Overhyped,” citing the inability to grasp complex customer emotions, which risks losing high-value players.
The truly underutilized power, however, lies in data refinement:
“Behavioral micro-segmentation for personalized bonus timing. The industry collects massive amounts of player data but most operators still rely on generic promotional calendars and broad VIP tiers. Advanced operators use real-time behavioral signals that make a world of difference to conversion and lifetime value.”
This focus on granular, real-time behavioral signals is exactly where the next wave of affiliate marketing success, powered by sophisticated, integrated platforms will be won. The convergence, Tuomo predicts, moves towards “autonomous operational intelligence” for active, real-time management.
Your Path to Next-Generation iGaming Management Starts with Wynta
The message from the industry experts is clear: fragmented execution and reliance on generic tools lead to stagnation and risk. Wynta is building a robust Affiliate Management Platform designed to eliminate data silos, embed strategy from day one and provide the operational control necessary for success in the AI-driven era. We transform data into actionable intelligence that drives sustainable growth.
Software Providers: Ready to maximize your reach and ensure your operators have unified, compliant data flowing from our platform? Integrate with Wynta today and become part of the most connected ecosystem in global iGaming.
iGaming Operators: Stop managing across spreadsheets and siloed systems. Discover how Wynta can centralize your affiliate performance, provide the data foundation for future Sovereign AI and optimize your player value through real-time behavioral insights. Request a demo or contact our team now to see the future of affiliate management!
