On June 14 and 15, the Peru Gaming Show (PGS) will celebrate its twentieth edition. This is a special that will have the presence of all the players in the game in a meeting where exclusive networking for operators and suppliers and keynote speeches will take place, which will make the show unforgettable.

PGS has always been at the forefront, betting on the gaming sector in the worst moments of crisis, with a clear mission: to be the center of the gaming world. Twenty years of impeccable trajectory at the service of an industry that over time has been consolidating, opening fronts and verticals that have allowed the activity to be extended to the most remote places, creating new businesses, more jobs, and contributing to governments by generating income through taxes.

Joe López, CEO of AMG SAC, gave an exclusive interview to CASINO Magazine to talk about what's new at this year's fair and the main industry trends that will be discussed during the event.

What is the balance of the PGS Forum that was held in March? What was the general opinion of the attendees?

Our organization is very happy with the results of the PGS Forum. Our desire was to be able to inform local operators about online operations and sports betting as it is a tremendously growing aspect of the industry and for many it is something new and sometimes new things cause anxiety. For that, we coordinated with experts in those personal areas so that they could share their experiences with the public and make them more comfortable. From the feedback and reception we received, it appears that we met our goals.

Peru Gaming Show will celebrate its twentieth edition in June. What have been the main milestones in the history of the meeting?

Always from the first day we took over the operation of the show, our plans were to create an event in Peru for Peru. Knowing the size of the industry in the country, with more than 600 rooms and thousands of slot machines in operation, it did not seem fair to us that operators had to travel to foreign countries to learn about the new trends in the industry and the new products available.

The manufacturers did not know how difficult this was for many, having to obtain passports, visas, pay for tickets and hotels, and go to territories where in many cases they did not even know the language. Educating manufacturers that Peru was an important market and that it was worth it for them to take the risk of participating in the show, was the first and most important milestone we met.

The formalization of the gaming industry greatly helped Peru to be seen as a serious and very important market for manufacturers. We have always been committed to presenting a fair in a safe place, in a professional way where operators and manufacturers could meet, do business and network and at the same time have fun and that caused important growth for us. Today we are seen as one of the most important shows in the region and we have visitors from many countries easily surpassing being more than a “show for Peru”.

At the end of March, it was announced that the spaces in the main venue were 95% sold. What expectations do you have for the 2023 event? What novelties will the fair have this year?

As always, we have high expectations for PGS 2023. Based on last year's success, many exhibitors have committed to this show since the closing of last year's event. The hope that the topic of online betting and sports betting will be approved soon and the regulation will be presented, has created a lot of expectations for big brands in the industry. Personally, nothing changes. We continue with the commitment to present a professional show in a safe environment and attract the largest possible number of clients for the exhibitors.

What will be the main industry trends that will be discussed during the event? In your opinion, what are the conferences that attendees cannot miss?

Obviously the topic of online betting and sports betting will be important topics that will be presented. But, we do not want to forget that there is a very important part of the industry that also has to be seen, those are the physical casinos. We want to present topics important to everyone including topics such as marketing, managing rooms for maximum profit, new payment methods, building customer loyalty, detecting and eliminating gambling fraud, both online and offline. Our opinion is that all issues are important and not to lose.

What are the next PGS plans for 2023?

This year we are looking at the possibility of having more presentations for the industry with themes that are presented during the important year. We want to see the possibility of taking these presentations to the market and not that you always have to come to Lima. This will be determined by things that come up during the year, but we are committed to being there for our clients if needed. For PGS 2023, we will continue to aim to be the best we can be for everyone.