“Latin America is an emerging market with significant potential for sports betting”

How was the participation of the Company in Juegos Miami?

We had a number of our representatives from across the world attend Juegos Miami. One of our big focuses at the event was our signature all-in-one solution, Managed Trading Services (MTS). MTS is the leading solution for operators, large or small, in LatAm as it provides the tools to establish and run a successful sportsbook. This includes our market-leading odds Betting Stimulation tools such as streaming and Virtual Sports as well as our expert trading and risk management services. MTS gives clients the flexibility to choose the level of trading support they need, whilst allowing them to use it for certain sports - a great way to appeal to the local market.

We were also pleased to present our marketing and sponsorship solution, ad:s, which is a great tool to target, gain and retain customers. ad:s has already helped  Brazil-based bookmaker, Casadeapostas.com gain sponsorship for five football clubs - Bahia, Botafogo, Cruzeiro, Santos and Victoria.

Did you previously participate in Juegos Miami? What was the importance of being there?

Yes, we have been participating in the show for a number of years now. It is an important event given Latin America is an emerging market with significant opportunities. The show is a great chance to bring regulators and operators together, and provides networking opportunities and one to one sessions with key industry stakeholders and clients, current and prospective.

How do you saw this edition of the show?

This edition of the show was a bit different with a number of round tables dedicated to each country. It was a great way to share different aspects of our offering with reference to the different countries. It’s really important that operators keep the local market in mind when it comes to Latin America. Our products and services extend across the globe, utilising the trends and innovations that work globally but in a way that is suitable for the local market. Keeping factors like favourite sports, culture, online and retail betting trends for each country in mind is key for any operator wanting to deliver a successful sportsbook.

What is the interest of the company in the Latin American market and how does Miami play in benefit of that interest?

Latin America is an emerging market with significant potential for sports betting. Across the last two years, regulation has become one of the most important topics, especially after Colombia regulated. Since then, Buenos Aires has introduced regulation with Peru and Brazil close. As this activity continues, we’re going to see more operators interested in the region. As the world-leading provider of betting and data services, it is our aim to support operators with our 360-degree betting portfolio, which includes Betting Services, Gaming Solutions, Live streaming, Betting Stimulation, our risk management and trading solution, Managed Trading Services (MTS) and marketing and sponsorship solution, ad:s. We have been preparing for both the US and Latin American markets to legalise for a number of years now and therefore have expertise in both regions to advise sports leagues, operators and regulators alike.

What is the current status of the company in the Latin market and what are the future objectives? Are there countries or regions that you consider more interesting than others?

We already have a great presence in Latin America, especially in Colombia where 15 of the 18 licensed operators are our clients. The biggest potential is Brazil simply because of their large population, many of which are sports fanatics. We really want to continue to showcase our marketing and sponsorship solution, ad:s in LatAm given, again, it has been designed to help operators target audiences, as well as gain brand awareness in a number of ways that can be tailored to specific needs.   

What are the biggest challenges for companies in the gaming sector in Latin America, especially in relation to legislation and regulation?

The Latin American market is quite fragmented, with some countries enacting legislation, while others are not. There are also various different regulations for online and retail betting. Whilst this does present its challenges, it means that operators need to remain ahead of the game, both with knowledge at the local level and products and services backed by the latest technology and fast and reliable global data. This is something we pride ourselves on. Many are still nervous about betting, however with the licenses and other methods of control, legislation can help to bring black market activity out from the shadows. What is required is that the regulators, sports, data providers and bookmakers work together to ensure the legislation benefits all involved, whilst mitigating the risks.