Following the latest edition of the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, Sebastián Salat, International President of Zitro, analyzed the company’s participation in the event, which took place from October 9 to 12 at The Venetian Expo, as well as the outlook of the gaming industry in Latin America.
In an exclusive dialogue with Yogonet, the executive reflected on the large number of visitors to its booth at G2E, where the supplier of gaming machines and iGaming titles exhibited its most extensive and diverse product line to date.
He also highlighted the brand’s rapid growth worldwide and its leadership in Latin American markets. In addition, he discussed how the advancement of online gaming regulatory processes in this region will drive Zitro Digital’s expansion.
While there are still important events on the 2023 calendar, in a way G2E closes the year for many of the executives who are part of this industry. What is your assessment of the latest edition and the products presented by Zitro in Las Vegas?
This year’s G2E was the best attended we have ever had in Zitro’s history. The massive public attendance at our booth is the consequence of the spectacular transformation process that our company has undergone, which today is the leading company in all Latin American markets, mentioning Mexico prominently, and is registering rapid growth in Europe and in the North American market, where we are already present in 13 jurisdictions, including California, Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, Minnesota, Virginia, Ohio, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Kansas.
On the other hand, in the year 2023, we have more than doubled the business of Zitro Digital, positioning our company as one of the essential game providers for digital casinos anywhere in the world. The affluence to our stand of companies that operate in this channel, whether operators, platforms, distributors, or aggregators, has been spectacular, and the digital world has already discovered the amazing profitability of our games.
Regarding the products exhibited, and the way they were presented in our stand, we have received many congratulations. Those who visit our booth will undoubtedly corroborate the enormous progress Zitro has made in the breadth and diversity of its product range which makes our booth at G2E a must for any casino operator in the world.
Of the products presented, which do you think will be the most celebrated by Latin American operators? Will you be developing specific products for Spain or any of the Latin American markets this year?
At G2E we have presented the most extensive and diverse product line we have ever presented at any previous event. Of course, Zitro’s presence in the world today is greater than we have ever had, and it took a lot of hard work in 2023 to be able to serve our customers in the many markets we are in.
From our wide range of games I would like to highlight Fu Frog, Fu Pots, and Billy The Pig for the Glare Illusion and Glare Allure cabinets, as well as Lún Pán Dú and Mighty Hammer Ultimate for the Glare Altius cabinet. All of them are safe bets for Latin American casinos. The Mighty Hammer Ultimate game has been chosen as the basis for our first WAP network in Latin America, a country that we hope to announce soon.
Zitro's stand at G2E Las Vegas 2023
Regarding whether we develop specific games for Spain or Latin America I must say that we have observed that great games tend to be successful across all regions, although they certainly need to be adapted to the tastes of the demographics of the players in each market.
This is what we have done with our first game for WAP: we started from a successful game like Mighty Hammer and transformed it into Mighty Hammer Ultimate, a version of the game suitable for the players it is aimed at, but capable of paying the big prizes expected from the WAP interconnection of machines in various casinos.
Another good example is the gaming room market in Spain, where Zitro is the outstanding leader. All the successful games that Zitro has been launching for the global casino market are adapted to the regulatory requirements of the Spanish gaming halls and made available to the operators of these establishments.
How does your regional strategy vary, the gradual opening of the online gaming market in more and more Latin American jurisdictions? What is the importance of this segment for the company?
Zitro Digital is already today an indisputable pillar of Zitro’s growth, and the progressive regulation of online gaming in multiple jurisdictions in Latin America and the world encourages us to continue investing in this business vertical.
Today, at Zitro Digital, we have an extensive library of games that includes our video bingo games, as well as the Zitro video slot games that have changed the history of our company, and that have placed us among the most prominent content providers in the industry.
Additionally, this year 2023 we have taken some steps beyond launching in digital format the games that have triumphed in the land-based market: we have started to make available to our customers games for special dates, ideal for seasonal promotions, as well as various tools, such as tournaments or missions, that accompany our games and help the operator in their distribution and promotion.
LatAm is a key region for the company. What characteristics would you highlight from this year’s performance in the region’s main markets and what do you see as the main challenges for the coming year?
Our only concerns in Latin America stem from the socio-political situation in key markets, such as Argentina. Our company is the undisputed leader in the region. We have the product, and we have a solid, capable, and cohesive team there.
The demand for Zitro products from operators and players is overwhelming, but the rulers of many Latin American countries still need to ensure the political – and exchange rate – stability that operators need to be able to invest in and that consumers also need to be able to spend some of their income on leisure and entertainment.
Is Brazil a market to be addressed from its imminent opening to online gaming? And do you think it will open its land-based gaming market, once the first objective of regulating sports betting and online gaming has been achieved?
At Zitro we are working to be prepared for the opening of the Brazilian market, both digital and land-based. We hope that how gambling in both channels is regulated will allow a feasible development of this activity.
