Strong Attendance Marks the Academic Agenda at GAT Expo Cartagena 2026

From the early morning hours, the La Niña Hall saw a large turnout of attendees from 45 countries. The space focused on addressing the primary challenges of the gaming ecosystem, where, for the first time, the political and administrative circumstances of the country and the region were discussed in depth.

Official Inauguration and Regulatory Insights

The official opening featured the presence of the Attorney General of the Nation, Gregorio Eljach Pacheco, who informed the audience of the results of the "Paz Electoral" (Electoral Peace) plan. This plan ensured transparent elections for the renewal of the Congress of the Republic across the national territory on March 8. Evert Montero Cárdenas, President of Fecoljuegos—who was in charge of organizing the GAT Cartagena Academy for this edition—emphasized the day's central concept: the importance of permanent coordination between the public and private sectors. He noted that without such collaboration, it is impossible for governments to succeed fully in their policies and laws.

For his part, Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos, highlighted the sustained growth of this economic sector, its impact on generating state resources, and the global sums of transfers destined for the healthcare of Colombia's poorest citizens, particularly over the last three years. Regarding new regulations, he referred to the launch of Keno, which officially begins operations on April 1, as a new gaming alternative that expands the national market and is projected to contribute nearly 500 billion pesos in social taxes.

International Perspectives and Market Trends

The agenda moved forward with an international perspective through a detailed presentation by Brian Krolicki, Vice Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. He presented elements of the Nevada regulatory model applicable to the Latin American context, followed by a discussion with Zamba and Vicca Group.

Throughout the day, panels were held featuring Latin American regulators, industry associations, and legal experts, addressing regulatory trends, compliance, technological innovation, and business evolution.

In the final stretch of the agenda, Daniel Velandia, Managing Director of Research and Chief Economist at Credicorp Capital, delivered a keynote speech. He provided the audience with a comprehensive overview of the current economic situation and perspectives for Colombia and the global environment.

His intervention described a scenario of stable growth driven by household consumption and supported by factors such as remittance behavior and interest rate adjustments. At the same time, he analyzed dollar fluctuations, the decline in investment in Colombia, and the drop in state revenue due to the energy transition. He also outlined short-term challenges, such as inflationary pressures caused by the political and fiscal context, especially in a decisive election year.

Academic Agenda as a Knowledge Hub

José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT, stated: “The academic agenda in Cartagena is becoming increasingly relevant. Today, specifically, the demand for content and participation is much higher, confirming this space's position as the knowledge hub for the Latin American gaming industry. The GAT Cartagena Academy had an attendance exceeding 300 people, maintaining an attentive and active audience until 5:30 p.m.—a clear sign of the interest sparked by the topics addressed.”

At sunset, networking took center stage in the Bay of Cartagena. Aboard the Bona Vida catamaran, attendees, speakers, and industry leaders participated in a tour that combined conversation and business vision in an informal setting against the backdrop of the Caribbean waters.

The full program for the first day of GAT Expo Cartagena 2026 is attached.

Activities continue this Wednesday, March 25, with the opening of the trade show starting at 2:00 p.m. at the Las Américas Convention Center. This leads into two days focused on direct interaction between manufacturers, operators, and technology providers.

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