During the conference session at SBC Summit Rio 2024, where discussions centered around artificial intelligence and its impact on the gaming and betting industry, following presentations by Hugo Llanos (Regional Director Americas, Altenar), Mateo Lenoble (Regional Sales Director - Latam, Sportradar), Tommy Kearns (CEO and Co-founder, Xtremepush), and Ignacio Iturraspe (Sales Director - LATAM, Stats Perform), Joao Sobreira addressed audience questions, leading to several interesting points related to the use of AI in the gaming market.

Next, let’s review key moments from the end of the conference:

For instance, Mateo Lenoble compared artificial intelligence as used by Netflix and its algorithm with how it is applied in the world of iGaming. He emphasized that with Netflix, “Once you watch a movie, they start recommending other movies because you’ve seen that one. Sports betting works in a similar way. Once you register, you begin to see content tailored to the region you’re in.” Lenoble explained that the system recognizes bettors’ trends and preferences, working based on that data.

DNA of the data

Another crucial point emerged here: data is essential, but even more critical is how that data is utilized, and it must be of good quality. In other words, it’s all about the DNA of the data. According to the speakers, the twenty percent of the data’s DNA that you input into the model will give you an advantage. So, it’s not just about collecting high-quality data; it’s equally important to focus on how you use and present that data to your customers.

Furthermore, Hugo Llanos demystified the idea that, as many people on YouTube claim, AI can be used to predict game winners. He clarified, “AI will give you the probabilities of something happening, much like what we used to do manually many years ago. However, AI won’t predict the future.” In other words, it won’t tell you the exact outcome of a game. Instead, it provides insights into the likelihood of events.

Additionally, a distinction was made between knowing the outcome and understanding the probabilities of events. The key conclusion reached was: “AI doesn’t mean we’ll become gods and know the result of Sunday’s match.”

Tommy Kearns (CEO and Co-founder of Xtremepush) emphasized that AI will transform the workflow of sports betting operators into an automated and autonomous system. Now, the critical question arises: Is this system 98% accurate? Or perhaps 80% accurate? The answer lies in the quality and quantity of data input. The more reliable and extensive the data, the more confident and precise the predictions can become.

IA and security

In relation to the use of data and algorithms, a crucial topic that concerns the public greatly is security. In fact, a key question emerged: What can AI do for new operators in Brazil to prevent hackers from compromising casino security, similar to the risks and issues faced in Las Vegas?

The speakers agreed that AI, through its algorithms, can issue alerts regarding hacker attacks and mitigate risks. One way AI contributes to security is by identifying specific patterns and triggering alerts based on them. For instance, it can leverage data on previous hacker attacks to prevent their recurrence.

To conclude this captivating and highly relevant conference on a topic that’s on everyone’s lips—artificial intelligence—Hugo Llanos (Regional Director Americas, Altenar) left a noteworthy message regarding the gaming market. He emphasized that the arrival of AI need not cause panic among more traditionally-minded entrepreneurs. He stated, “I don’t believe one is better than the other. They are simply different ways of doing things. If a company is willing to offer its customers various forms of entertainment, that’s perfectly fine. Ultimately, the customers will decide what they prefer. I’m not sure if one will prevail over the other. I believe there’s room for everyone.”