GAT Caribe Cancun 2024 laid the foundations for GAT Expo Mexico 2025

With the participation of more than 290 businessmen, leaders, government representatives and international associations, GAT Caribe Cancun was the great opportunity for analysis, agreement and meeting for the development and visibility of the gaming industry in a country that is a powerhouse for the future of entertainment on the continent, laying the foundations for GAT Expo Mexico.

Academic opening with a vision for the future

Master Antonio Benítez of the Secretariat of Economic Development of Quintana Roo, chaired the opening of the event, stating: “GAT Caribe Cancún not only drives the economic growth of the region, but also positions Mexico as a key player in the global gaming arena.”

Inaugural conference: the regulatory panorama in Mexico

Dr. Miguel Ángel Ochoa, president of the AIEJA (Association of Licensees, Operators and Suppliers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry), opened the academic agenda with a conference on the current regulatory situation of the sector in Mexico. During his presentation, Ochoa emphasized the need for a law that integrates and regulates all verticals of the game, highlighting: “The new government has already shown a first intention to discuss the issue with the licensees next year. For this, the Ministry of the Interior has requested that we send a letter signed by all, without exception, as an initial step to analyze this possibility.”

Coinciding with the announcement by AIEJA, the news was released that in the coming weeks the Executive would be sending a new project to Congress to reform the Law on Games and Lotteries, which has not been modified in Mexico since 1947.

Machines can be imported into Mexico

Regarding the current situation of machine imports in Mexico, Rodrigo Galván reviewed the current regulations and the effects of the appeals filed by the permit holders before the judges, highlighting that the importation of machines is allowed, as long as the guidelines and processes established by the SEGOB's Directorate of Games and Lotteries are complied with, as disclosed in a circular issued in August 2024.

Participation of international leaders and associations

Entrepreneurs from the land-based and online sectors, along with 30 speakers, attended conferences and panels that addressed topics such as regulation, artificial intelligence in gaming, and growth strategies. Among the international participants, Fernando Calderón, representative of SONAJA from Peru, and Yamile Gutiérrez, from the National Association of Sports Banks of the Dominican Republic, stood out, who contributed global perspectives to the debate.

The following companies also participated in the GAT Caribe Cancun Academy: Blumon Pay, Touch Dynamic, Wamaberry, Global Transfer, Betandeal, Palacio de los Números, Kushki, Chatbet, Clearsky Network, WA Technology, OKTO Payments, Bitso, Apuesta Total, Campo Bet, Sportradar, Novomatic México Prometeo IT, Oklahoma.

Alejandra Gómez from Betsone and Vice President of the Commission for the Development of Women COMUJ affiliated with the AIEJA on the evolution and current status of the role of women in the gambling industry.

Pragmatic Play, represented by Victor Arias, Vice President of Operations for Arrise powering Pragmatic Play, led an innovative panel focused on B2B marketing related to the realization of in-person events and the contribution of specialized media from the Latin American gaming industry. This space was shared by Pablo Zuppi from Yogonet, Ricky Chávez from Casino International Americano, Juan Manuel Rodríguez from SBC and José Aníbal Aguirre from GAT.

Creation of the Confederation of Guilds and Associations

The panel of Latin American Associations discussed the regulatory situation and investment opportunities in countries such as Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic. As a result, an important agreement was reached, which is the creation of the Confederation of Guilds and Associations of Gaming in Latin America, to be formalized in the next edition of GAT Expo Cartagena, which will take place on the 28th, 29th and 30th of 2025. SONAJA, headed by Dr. Fernando Calderón, will actively join the initiative, focused on strengthening the role of the guilds, spokespersons of the industry in each country, as consultants to regulators, identifying opportunities, risks and threats for the sector, while promoting responsible gaming, the prevention of money laundering and improving the public perception of this economic activity of vital importance for the budget of the different jurisdictions.

Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Games and Betting

The intervention of Dr. Pedro Gallego from the company Mobadoo aroused strong interest from the audience. His focus on management and risk detection in the operation of casinos resulted in multiple requests for advice and consulting.

José Aníbal Aguirre's presentation on the transformation of traditional pre-recorded and random virtual bets, towards those operated by AI bots with real live encounters every minute, was also well received. This is a disruptive modality that opens new channels of technological innovation.

Exhibition in Stands and Announcement GAT Expo Mexico 2025

The second day of the event focused on the exhibition of products and services in the Gran Cancún Hall, in an area of ​​1,800 square meters where 30 leading brands showed their latest technological innovations. José Aníbal Aguirre refers to the design, assembly and decoration as follows: “The issue of stand production, ambiance and logistics at GAT Events is no minor issue. I am satisfied with the comments on the results of the assembly. For this reason, I would like to thank our allied companies City Group Arquitectura, our traditional production company, and Plataforma AV, our new exclusive audiovisual partner with cutting-edge technology proposals and proven international experience in fairs in 17 countries.”

The moment of the ribbon cutting at the opening of the trade show, which was attended by trade union authorities and businessmen, was the occasion chosen by José Aníbal Aguirre to announce that an agreement was reached with AIEJA to hold a second version of GAT Events in Mexican territory, on August 20 and 21, 2025 in Mexico City.

The exhibition of stands offering new payment methods and platforms was one of the most attractive points of the event, thanks to its focus on innovation, security and effectiveness. It included solutions applicable to both physical and online casinos. The talk associated with this highly sensitive topic attracted a large traffic of executives to the stands.

The exhibitors who were part of GAT Caribe Cancún are: Pragmatic Play, 1xBet, BetConstruct, Kushki, Juancito Sport, Tonder, Betandeal, First, Amusnet, BlumonPay, Cactus Gaming, BetConnections, Gaming Tec, Omnivisix, Mobadoo, Nuvei, Expanse Studio, Wamaberry, Simetry, Plataforma AV, Wallet MX, BYA Group and Prometeo/Oklahoma.

The networking spaces, with a welcome cocktail at the Cancún Center and a closing party in front of the beach, created a favorable environment for the generation of new business connections and the strengthening of the gaming ecosystem in the country and Latin America.

José Aníbal Aguirre thus closes his vision of this recent event: “GAT Caribe Cancún 2024 became the launching platform for GAT Expo México, a project to which relevant firms are already joining. Brands such as Ainsworth, Novomatic, Merkur and Interblock have already confirmed their participation with large stands, and once again we will have the sponsorship of Pragmatic Play in most of the exhibition spaces and the productive Networking GAT, but the most important thing is our alliance with the AIEJA, its associates and the leadership and trust of Dr. Miguel Ángel Ochoa, the architect of this meeting.”