Day 1 – A Valuable Academic Program for the Caribbean

The program began on November 12 with the GAT Academy, which filled the La Fiesta Theater Hall with three keynote lectures and seven specialized panels featuring 31 speakers, including regulators, operators, suppliers, trade association leaders, and legal experts. The opening ceremony began with the Dominican National Anthem, followed by master of ceremonies Natalia Moreno introducing the day’s agenda.

The first panel, “From the Caribbean to the Andes: Regulatory Advances in the Region”, moderated by Edgar Pagán of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, featured Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos (Colombia), Yamile Gutiérrez, Director of GAT Santo Domingo, and Adams Pérez, also representing the Puerto Rican government. Their comparative analysis of current regulations highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and technical oversight to ensure updated frameworks.

Next came “Casinos RD: Vision 2025–2026”, led by David Moniz, which examined the state of Dominican casinos, upcoming challenges, and their ties to tourism and entertainment. Panelists included Jorge Gómez (IGC), Javier Elías (Empresas EE), and José Ángel Forján (Comar Dominicana).

The session “Current Status and Gambling Bill in the Dominican Republic” was moderated by Yamile Gutiérrez, with contributions from David Moniz (ADCJ), Richal Montero (FENABANCA), Francisco Pérez (Juancito Sport), and Nelson Espinal Báez (Cambridge International), who discussed the need for a comprehensive legal framework covering all gaming verticals—online betting, lotteries, sports betting shops, land-based casinos, and remote gaming—while sharing perspectives on the bill currently before the Dominican Senate.

The day continued with “Legal and Compliance Challenges”, led by Tatiana Vásquez, an expert with over a decade of experience in Colombia and Latin America. She engaged in dialogue with Yamile Gutiérrez, Johanna Familias (Breeze Management), and Francisco Pérez, focusing on the recently issued AML/CFT regulations by the Dominican Directorate of Casinos and Gambling and their implications for operators.

Other sessions included:

“Online Entertainment, Sports Betting and Casino” moderated by Víctor Arias (ARRISE powering Pragmatic Play LatAm), with insights from Richard De Los Santos (Juancito Sport), Liliana Viveros (Betcris RD), Stefanos Karakidis (Betby), and Eddye Guevara (Breeze Management).

“Latest Trends and Technologies in Sports Betting” presented by Gustavo Sánchez (Breeze Management), Gevorg Rushanyan (Digitain), Eddye Guevara (Breeze Management), and Carlos Acosta (Lotobet).

GLI’s conference “Technical Compliance in Online Gaming: From Regulation to Operational Efficiency” by José Carlos Figueroa, Regional Manager for the Caribbean.

Maritza del Rosario (MR Enterprise) on “Responsible Gaming as a Tool for Reputation and Corporate Sustainability.”

Óscar Calderón (Barna Management School) on “Creating Value in a Digital World.”

“The Universe of Virtual Betting: Products, Audiences and Trends” led by Francisco Garibaldi Pavonessa (President of the Dominican Horse Racing Commission), with contributions from Herminio Iglesias (Soll Systems), José Luis Osorio (Kiron RD), Edgardo Paredes (Raza Carreras), Juan Bravo (Digitain LatAm), Julio Duque (Golden Race), and Juan Pablo Barahona (Betby LatAm), including a special segment on esports, AI in virtual betting, and diversification.

The academic day was praised by attendees as one of the most comprehensive and solid programs organized in Santo Domingo in recent years.

The evening concluded with a networking reception at La Marinita restaurant, hosted by Raza Carreras, in a festive atmosphere with music and dance from Quisqueya, fostering alliances and exchanges among Caribbean and international delegates.

Day 2 – Trade Exhibition

On November 13, the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Anacaona Hall featured Juan Antonio Del Jesús (President of Fenabanca), Marco Emilio Hincapié (President of Coljuegos, Colombia), Edgar Pagán (Deputy Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission), Sergio Longo (Regional Director of BetConstruct), Yamile Gutiérrez (G&G Studio Legal), and José Aníbal Aguirre (CEO of GAT Events), who officially inaugurated the exhibition.

Exhibitors included Texas Slots, Raza Carreras, Pragmatic Play, Golden Race, BetConstruct, GLI, Juancito Sport, Betting Software, Digitain Colombo, LotoBet, Mobadoo, Grupo Germán, Fininvest, IGC, Orobet, Soll Systems, Loto Real, Cecomsa, Red ATM, among others. Marketing and sales teams energized the day with contests and activations, engaging executives from 15 countries and across the Dominican Republic.

José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, stated: “This edition of GAT Expo Santo Domingo has been a success. Thank you all for joining us in a showcase that confirms GAT as an essential reference in the Caribbean and Latin America. We celebrate the arrival of new brands to the circuit and the growth of our Academy, which continues to provide strategic knowledge to the entire ecosystem. Each stop in the GAT Events circuit this year has marked progress in industry integration. The future is now, and we continue opening doors to legal gaming and technology in the entertainment universe. We are very pleased with the results of this edition and confident that next year will be even bigger. Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo have been our golden finale in 2025. We invite you to be part of the GAT Events Circuit 2026. See you in Cartagena, La Fantástica, March 24–26.”