GAT Expo Puerto Rico 2026 opens its doors today in San Juan 

Today, Wednesday, September 9, the second edition of GAT Expo Puerto Rico takes place at The Condado Plaza Hotel. Authorities, businessmen, operators, manufacturers, suppliers, and experts from the gaming and betting industry will experience an intense day of business, commercial exhibition, and networking, sharing knowledge and updates.

Organized by GAT Events, this second edition in San Juan integrates in a single day a commercial exhibition, conferences, panels, business relationship building, and networking, with the participation of authorities, regulators, operators, and national and international companies.

The morning begins with the registration and accreditation of participants. At 10:00 a.m., the inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place, officially opening the commercial showcase. This will be followed by the GAT Talks academic program, while the exhibition will remain open until 7:00 p.m., when the closing cocktail sponsored by Hipódromo Camarero will mark the end of GAT Expo Puerto Rico 2026.

Commercial Exhibition Opening at stands

The opening of the exhibition will be led by the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission and its Executive Director, Juan Carlos Santaella, accompanied by José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, authorities, and delegates from the associated companies.

The showcase will feature the presence of Novomatic, Fortune Group Games, EAS Systems, EEZE, Counting Equipment & Supplies, Bad Dog Games, TVC Gaming, Bloomcrest, Caribbean Gaming Technologies, Royal Gaming Logistics, Amusnet Interactive, Hipódromo Camarero, Prometeo, Oklahoma, Caribe Gaming, Gem Solutions, and Caribbean Gaming Distributors.

Among the novelties of the exhibition, cabinets and equipment from recognized global brands such as IGT, Win Systems, and EGT are included, expanding the range of solutions and technology that visitors will be able to discover in the area assigned to Royal Gaming Logistics on level 2 of The Condado Plaza Hotel.

During the day, operators, businessmen, and professionals will be able to discover products, technologies, services, and solutions from top-level suppliers, specially designed to meet the requirements of the different business segments of the legal gaming industry in Puerto Rico in a commercial showcase. This will also allow them to hold meetings and explore opportunities and strategic alliances that will strengthen trade between the Puerto Rican and international markets.

GAT Talks: regulation, market, and innovation

Starting at 11:00 a.m., the GAT Talks academic program will begin. After the official installation and protocolary welcome greetings, it will give way to a varied agenda of keynote speeches and panels featuring leaders and experts who will provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the gaming industry in Puerto Rico and their shared vision of the future.

At 11:10 a.m., Juan Carlos Santaella, the highest government authority in the sector, will deliver the conference “Puerto Rico: From Today's Market to Tomorrow's Industry,” addressing the present and the perspectives accompanying its evolution on the island, taking into account the expansion possibilities of current businesses in the medium and long term.

The program continues at 11:40 a.m. with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), which will present the lecture “Puerto Rico: Leading the Evolution of Regulated Gaming in the Caribbean,” delivered by José Carlos Figueroa, Regional Manager for the Caribbean of this renowned international gaming certification laboratory.

One of the most anticipated spaces at GAT Talks will be the panel by the Government of Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, “The Next Play: Innovation, Regulation, and Future in Puerto Rico,” which will take place between 12:00 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. The conversation will be moderated by Lorraine Irizarry, Director of the Games of Chance Bureau of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, and will feature panelists Julio Rivera, Director of the Sports Betting Bureau of the Gaming Commission; Javier Soto, General Manager of Cage Puerto Rico, Inc., a sports betting operator; and Liza García, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.

The panel will bring to the table different perspectives from the public and private sectors on innovation, regulation, and industry development, as well as the challenges and alternatives that can support the growth of the Puerto Rican market.

Between 12:45 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., the schedule will have a recess, and attendees will share a coffee break, resuming the gathering in the afternoon with new conferences and specialized content.

At 2:00 p.m., the audience will attend the dissertation of Jaime Rivera, former director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission and partner at Saiber LLC, with the theme “Multiple laws, one industry: the legal framework of gaming in PR.”

Next, Amusnet will be present at GAT Talks with the Master Class “Slot Product Analysis,” led by Daniel Arias, Director of Amusnet for the Caribbean, Colombia, and Central America. The session will provide a specialized view on slot product management and transformation, adding technical and strategic content to an agenda designed to offer useful tools to operators and industry professionals.

At 3:00 p.m., José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, will moderate the panel “The DNA of gaming in Puerto Rico: retrospective and a sustainable future,” a conversation that will retrace the path of the main verticals of the Puerto Rican industry and focus on sustainability and the healthy coexistence of the different businesses.

Participants will include María Cristina Mari García, Vice President of Hipódromo Camarero; Lorna Huertas, advisor to the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission and former Assistant Secretary of the Lottery Bureau; and Jaime Alex Irizarry, Director of Operations at Royal Gaming Logistics, alongside Joe Fernández, President and Co-founder of Ballers Sportbook, and Eric Rodríguez, Director of Foxwoods Casino. The panel will address the trajectory and transformation of lotteries, horse racing, route machines, casinos, and sports betting, to then open the conversation towards integration, innovation, and collaboration opportunities between the different segments.

Regarding this discussion, José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT, states: “I want to thank all the friends in the Puerto Rican industry for their willingness to participate in this talk. For more than 25 years, we have traveled the continent and the Caribbean integrating authorities, operators, and suppliers in order to work for a united industry. The trust and credibility in what we do are our most precious capital today. Thank you for allowing me to moderate this panel to listen to your vision and proposals. I am always encouraged by the purpose of opening paths of understanding and prosperity for all.”

A strong corporate presence accompanies GAT Puerto Rico 2026

The realization of this second edition features the participation of important companies and institutions in the industry. The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission is the Main Sponsor of the gathering; Novomatic, Platinum Sponsor; and Aristocrat, Exclusive Sponsor.

Also participating with special sponsorships are Hipódromo Camarero, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), Royal Gaming Logistics, Gamanza, and Mobadoo, joining the different academic, commercial, and networking spaces offered by the event.

“GAT Expo Puerto Rico represents our commitment to the growth of a regulated, innovative, and integrated industry, here and in all the jurisdictions where we hold GAT Events. Today, important local and international protagonists gather in San Juan to share knowledge, generate business, and strengthen the ties between Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the other markets of the Americas,” added José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events.

At 7:00 p.m., once GAT Talks and the commercial exhibition are finished, Hipódromo Camarero will host the cocktail that will put the finishing touch to the second edition of GAT in San Juan and will allow the conversations and connections generated during the gathering to continue.