Leaving its headquarters in Punta Cana and marking the closing of GAT Showcase Santo Domingo, the first trade event held in the Dominican Republic capital, Yogonet had the opportunity to speak exclusively with GAT Expo CEO José Anibal Aguirre, who noted that the call was very positive and well attended by local regulators and from across the region.
If you were to analyze the outcome of the 4th GAT held in the Dominican Republic, how would you evaluate what was offered in the lecture series and the exhibition itself?
If you compare the before and after of GAT held in Punta Cana and Santo Domingo, you can see the difference: hosting the event in the country’s capital was a huge success, as it is very conveniently located geographically.
In the Dominican Republic, all operators came together and enjoyed a large public participation both at the Academy (around 200 people came to listen to lectures) and at the exhibition.
I want to highlight that there was a lot of participation from local regulators from throughout the region, with visitors from Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and El Salvador. Naturally, regulators from the Dominican Republic were at the heart of the visit, as was the head of the Concepción Lottery in Chile.
For these reasons, I believe that the Dominican Republic has solidified its position as the leading event in the Caribbean this year. We have seen very strong support from its own operators, and we are starting to see operators from neighboring countries coming. We are seeing people from El Salvador, Guatemala, St. Martin, Curacao, and more. This is a good sign, and shows that the event is starting to reflect its purpose of creating an event for the Caribbean.
And I think this event is gaining momentum. The regulators have asked us to conduct more training, especially on the theme of money laundering prevention and control, to continue to promote this effort and prepare better for next year. So the balance of this event is very good.
After this event, the GAT event will be held in Mexico soon. Obviously, Mexico is a new place for you and a big challenge. What are your expectations and what do you hope to find in Mexico this year?
In Mexico, we have developed a special partnership with the Permit Holders Association (AIEJA), led by Dr. Miguel Ángel Ochoa, to develop a strategic plan to make Mexico an event for all of Latin America.
Given the decision of the Mexican industry to open its doors and expand its investment possibilities not only in the online sector but also in the land-based casino sector, we can predict that this event is firmly planned not only as an event for Mexicans, but also for Latin America. Why? Because Mexico is full of investment opportunities. And it is precisely this association and the businessmen who are determined to support this initiative and share their business potential that make Cancun the ideal meeting point to connect a great country and a great market with Latin American investors who want to expand their borders.
I think this is the most important thing and what awaits us in Mexico: the determination and conviction of local businessmen that Mexico needs an international fair that brings together the whole of Latin America.
One last, more conceptual question, pertains to the role of event organizers with a long history in the region. Over the past 7-8 years, the market in this region has changed significantly. When we think of gambling, we think of casinos, slot machines and gaming tables. Today, when we think of gambling, the focus is on sports betting and online gaming options. Given the changes in the market over the past few years, what do you see happening in the short term?
I think the market has and will change in Latin America because there is a very strong wave happening in Europe when it comes to the topic of esports betting.
I think the next step for the industry in Latin America will be to transform online operations, sports betting and online casinos with new platforms and technologies that pay close attention to fraud prevention and thorough user identification. Although the region tends to be a little slower to adopt this approach, I think Latin American operators will join the wave of change coming from Europe.
As for the land-based casino sector, I think the situation will remain more or less the same. Land-based casinos will not lose their essence, nor will they lose their penchant for attention and social sharing among players. Being able to touch and feel the machines and play live has not disappeared and will never disappear due to the pandemic.
GAT Showcase Santo Domingo 2024 – Conference & Trade Show
