The opening ceremony was presided over by Juan Carlos Santaella Marchán, Esq., Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission; Héctor Vázquez Muñiz, Esq., representing Governor Jenniffer González Colón; Cristina Torres, Director of Advertising for the Puerto Rico Tourism Company; and José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, who gave the official welcome, expressing their satisfaction with the holding of this international event on the island.

The academic program was moderated by Lorna Huertas Padilla, a renowned figure in the industry, who, as master of ceremonies, introduced the presentations and remarks of 18 speakers, representatives of the public and private sectors, who spoke on topics such as regulatory updates and cutting-edge technological trends.

The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, with its senior officials in charge of the different areas of the entity—Alfredo Martínez, Mónica Andreu, and Loraine Irizarry—led by panel moderator Juan Carlos Santaella, presented the latest regulatory developments and changes in the regulation of gambling, horse racing, sports betting, and slot machines.

Following this, the panel “New Era: Casino and Slot Machines in Puerto Rico,” moderated by Alexandra Fuertes, legal director of the Gaming Commission, brought together Luis Del Valle (Novomatic) and Jaime Alex Irizarry (Royal Gaming Logistics), who analyzed the technological evolution and the impact of the mixed model on local operations, in a very positive dialogue between government and business leaders.

The conference series continued with Jorge Rojas Rumilla, CEO of Prometeo IT Mexico, who, in his presentation on interconnection and operations control, highlighted the importance of online monitoring systems for ensuring transparency and traceability in gaming operations. He also invited some attendees to share their opinions and experiences on the topic from other countries.

Next, José Carlos Figueroa, GLI's Caribbean Regional Manager, gave a presentation titled "Certification: The Other Side of the Coin." He detailed the scope of the validation performed by the laboratory when verifying the certification factors for each machine or game with the regulator. This verification covers not only the technical and operational aspects, but also consumer protection measures, responsible gaming practices, innovation verification, and other high-quality standards.

The panel “Betting on eSports,” moderated by Loraine Irizarry, with the participation of Ricardo Román (Red Rooster Team), José Aníbal Aguirre (GAT Events – Mobadoo), and Juan Pablo Barahona (Betby), allowed the audience to update their knowledge by listening to debates and opinions on the growth of esports, its integration with betting, and the development opportunities of this ecosystem in the region.

The program concluded with two keynote addresses: “CRM Applied to Land-Based Businesses,” presented by Daniel Arias, director of Amusnet for Colombia, Central America, and the Caribbean, who highlighted the advantages of using data intelligence to strengthen relationships with in-person customers.

The academic session concluded with the presentation “The Role of Trade Associations and Organizations as Spokespeople for the Gambling Industry,” given by Evert Montero, president of Fecoljuegos (Colombia) and the International Federation of Gambling Associations (FIJA). He emphasized the need to consolidate a unified voice for the sector before regulators and the public in Latin America.

The day ended with a luncheon hosted by GAT Events, followed by a historical and cultural tour of Old San Juan, organized by the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, and a welcome cocktail reception sponsored by Hipódromo Camarero. These events fostered networking and connections between business leaders and government officials.

José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT, states: “I am very pleased with what we have found and glimpsed in this first foray of GAT Events into Puerto Rico. We saw entrepreneurs with a winning attitude, strong government representation, and local operators, as well as highly qualified international suppliers interested in investing in Puerto Rico. The audience was fully engaged in the conference topics, with enthusiastic applause at the end of each presentation. The networking luncheon we offered to all participants was packed, creating an extraordinary atmosphere of camaraderie.”

GAT Expo Puerto Rico 2025 continues today, Wednesday, October 29, with its second academic day and the official opening of the trade show, where global and local brands will showcase their products and services for casino machines and online gaming platforms.

GAT Expo Puerto Rico día 2

Academia, Exposición y Networking de Cierre

Miércoles, 29 de octubre de 2025

Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan

09:00 - 12:30 - GAT Academy – Hall 209

12:30 - 14:00 Lunch (invites GAT Events)

14:00 - 19:00 Commercial Exhibition – Ballroom A

20:00 - 24:00 Closing Party with the orchestra Gran Combo de Puerto Rico – Distrito T-Mobile, Sponsors Platinum: Redwall · Raza Carreras

Tickets and registration: https://www.gatevents.net/gat-expo-puerto-rico/

Contact: info@gatexpo.net , dir.comercial@gatevents.net

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