PHOTOS. Let’s take a look at Coolbet’s new office!

The sports betting, casino, and poker operator Coolbet recently got itself a new office, where besides work areas, there are also spaces offering amenities and opportunities for relaxation and exercise. We spoke to Merilin Mõttus, the head of the Coolbet workplace experience, about how the office was designed and what cool areas and features are there.

When was the office completed?

We started the project in the fall of 2021 and moved into the office last summer. But the official opening party was in the fall – that’s when everything was finally finished.

Why did you need a new office?

The old office was getting cramped, and we wanted to add modernity and new areas that have become normal in offices today. While our old space was around 2000 square meters, the new one is slightly over 3900 square meters. We’ve had a significant increase in employees (currently about 320 people), and we wanted the office to be a place where people want to come and spend time.

What areas do you have in the new office?

We have work areas, meeting rooms where teams can gather to plan. Additionally, we have offices for those who make a lot of calls or have one-on-one conversations. We also have a game room where we’ve gathered more fun activities. It has different sound insulation and acoustics so that playing doesn’t disturb others working.

There’s also a large book corner with a book lending system – people can bring books there, and Coolbet also buys them. We also have a very popular gym – it’s nice to see people using it before and after work, as well as during lunch breaks.

In addition, the office has a very large all-hands area with a stage, seating on a large staircase, and a large main kitchen where we organize events for the whole company. The stage was already used at the office opening party when a band played there. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback about the all-hands area. It’s a place to take a break. We have one more relaxation room – it’s a yoga room. You can lie down there for a moment and contemplate.

What is the style of the interior design?

The interior was completed in collaboration with PIN architects and OCCO, and I think the vision we had in 2021 has now become a reality. The design is very playful and flowing, using Coolbet’s colors. We have ceilings over five meters high and lots of natural light. Thanks to the high ceilings, we’ve been able to play a lot with space; the space is divided into small villages or sections.

Through carpets, we tell Coolbet’s story – there are aerial photos of nature in our market countries. For example, there are images of Estonian bogs and Canada, where icebergs meet.

Overall, you could say the design is simple – we want there to be plenty of air, space, and light. One cool thing that gets a lot of attention is our front desk. It’s round and covered with white fur.

How are people situated – do they work at specific desks, or are there different options?

The areas are planned by department, and many departments have each employee their own desk. However, there are also desks where you can share a space, and not everyone has a specific desk. For employees sharing desks, there are small lockers for personal items. Overall, we have a partially partitioned open office. It’s never forbidden to go sit with others, for example, project managers move around more, and some people like to work in bean bags.

How was the collaboration with the designers and OCCO?

The collaboration was very good; all the wishes we had as clients were realized, and all parties did their best. OCCO and PIN architects helped choose materials and colors that would fit everything together. The project has a good mix of custom furniture and standard office furniture.

I really like our game room solution – when you walk down the corridor, you might not even notice the door in the uniform green wall, which leads to a new mysterious room.

What is your favorite element or place in the new office?

Definitely the large all-hands area, precisely because our people like to be together, organize events, and celebrate milestones. For example, one lunchtime our CEO made hot dogs there with colleagues, and a few weeks ago, our IT department head baked cinnamon rolls for everyone for breakfast. Additionally, we hold important meetings there to discuss company strategy plans, but on another day, it’s a place to sit down for a moment and simply chat with each other.