Roman Bogoduhov, EvenBet Gaming’s Head of Account Management, joined the company late last year. We caught up with him on how the business plans to secure further growth as the region’s various markets develop. 

CasinoBeats: Which LatAm countries do you see having the most immediate potential right now and why?

RB: There’re several countries where it’s lucrative to start a casino or sports betting website at the moment. Colombia is the most attractive one with minimal legislative barriers and an established and transparent licencing process. Argentina comes in second place as it’s a huge market with an igaming-hungry population, but it’s a lot more complicated, with 24 jurisdictions in the country, all with various regulatory statuses. On top of that, the legislation in most of these territories makes starting a brand new casino nearly impossible. 

However, the online market in Mexico is very attractive, but it’s only available to existing land-based operators.     

CasinoBeats: How has the status of online poker changed in LatAm in recent years?

RB: In Latam countries that allow the operation of local or offshore poker offerings, online poker has quickly transformed from being associated with the black market and illegal activities into an indispensable part of everyday entertainment. For example, in Colombia and Chile, we’re seeing interest in our product increasing constantly, especially from sports betting operators because of the audience crossover.   

To lean into this, we have optimised our Side-Bet product, which allows players to bet on sports without having to leave the poker room. For projects starting from scratch, we have pre-integrated sportsbooks from two partner providers with an enormous choice of sports and events, so an operator can give passionate players access to both offers simultaneously.

CasinoBeats: Conversely, which countries do you see as slow burners that further down the line could be the most promising markets?

RB: Brazil is the biggest potential market. We see slow movement toward online gaming regulation as the 2022 World Cup draws ever closer. That being said, the proposed changes mostly cater to sports betting and lotteries. However, as the government sees the benefits of a regular influx of taxes from the igaming sector – especially considering the costly events of the past two years – the regulation will naturally extend to online casinos and poker rooms as well. This is particularly likely given poker’s affinity with sports betting. 

As well as that, these games are already part of day-to-day life in the form of illegal operators and the country stands to benefit exponentially from common-sense regulation.  

CasinoBeats: With the complexities in relation to the regulatory status of LatAm – with some countries such as Brazil currently prohibiting gambling, others unregulated but not actively prohibiting it, and others such as Argentina regulated on a province-by-province basis, how do you target the best opportunities for the company?

RB: There are several questions we ask ourselves before making any country-specific offer. First, and most importantly, is online poker currently regulated in the country, such as in Colombia? If not, is playing in offshore poker rooms allowed, as is the case in Chile? 

Then we need to examine whether there’s an existing offline and online poker culture in the region that would allow an operator to create a sustainable user database. In Argentina’s case, there’s massive affection for the game, making it a no brainer to implement the game there.    

Having interrogated these factors, we can advise an operator on whether to proceed with an offering. We’re also beginning to examine how EvenBet Gaming can help our customers to better understand legislative barriers and which forms of partnerships are the most promising.

CasinoBeats: A region with such potential will inherently bring competition. What do you believe makes your company stand out from your competitors?

RB: EvenBet Gaming was one of the first poker providers that started to work in Latin and South America. In the last four years, we’ve optimised our offerings to the needs of local operators and players, completely localised the software and management tools we offer specific clients and created a Spanish-speaking business support team. As well as that, we have consistently participated in many gaming industry events in Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and other countries. 

Finally, we offer the same world-class poker platform that we make available in more mature markets, such as Europe and the US, with all the necessary certifications. It is safe, secure, and packed with all necessary anti-fraud and compliance tools. We pay special attention to developing and providing KYC and anti-fraud solutions to LatAm-based operators because trust and safety are among the biggest issues in the region. There’s still a lot to be done, but we’re ready to launch any type of project our partners might need.

CasinoBeats: If you could change any elements of how the LatAm countries currently operate in terms of gambling and regulation, what would they be and why?

RB: I’d speed up the process of transition from black and grey online markets to regulated ones. That would be beneficial for both the players, who would be protected from various scams and fraudulent operations, and each of these countries’ economies would receive more taxes. Keeping online gambling in the shadows has grave consequences for the industry’s reputation in general. It only serves to complicate the operations of legally working companies.

CasinoBeats: What new products should operators in the region be looking forward to?

RB: More mobile-first and mobile-only multi-gaming platforms. These seem to be most interesting for many audiences in LatAm. The combinations can be quite different. For example, EvenBet offers a mobile poker platform with the possibility to add thousands of casino and table games as well as a live offering and classic sports betting.

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With Evoplay continuing to make its mark across the continent, it wasn’t long before the supplier decided to launch a Latin American-themed football game. 

Penalty Shoot-out: Street, unveiled back in early July, aims to take players to the streets of Salvador as they attempt to score against the local goalkeeper on a street-side pitch. 

Speaking to CasinoBeats at the recent iGB Live, Evoplay Chief Commercial Officer Vladimir Malakchi began: “The main aim of the game was to expand our portfolio. We understand that in Latin America, and in fact globally, there are a huge number of football fans that enjoy these types of games. So with  Penalty Shoot-out: Street, we want to cater to these types of players. 

“When testing out the game, we received really positive feedback from players – our operators, customers, streamers were all enjoying this game. We identified what areas needed improvement and to be tweaked accordingly. We found that the speed of the game was something that Latin American players preferred, so we adjusted the original Penalty Shoot-out to meet that demand.”

A LatAm twist

The game, he explained, builds upon Evoplay’s Penalty Shoot-out portfolio but this time, with a Brazilian flair. 

Something that was highlighted during the discussion is that it’s simply not enough to just launch a new version of the game and hope for the best. Instead, the new iteration of Penalty Shoot-out required a solid marketing strategy that inter-linked product and player optimisation.

Malakchi said: “You have probably already noticed that we always try to keep our strategy line very straight. We launched this game the first time around in 2021 with a plan to be aggressive in the marketing of these football games. 

“Building out this product line and adding new versions of Penalty Shoot-out to our portfolio is part of this marketing strategy. We don’t just want to shout about how great our games are on social media, the marketing strategy needs to showcase our product is working and how it is optimised for different audiences. 

“It’s like having a great series of films – when you have a strong product and it’s marketed well, the end customer looks forward to the new version coming out.” 

Adding a new twist, plus additional gamification features to the Penalty Shoot-out series, is a key strategy for Evoplay as it means that players are constantly provided with fresh content, ultimately keeping them ‘on their toes’.

He added: “I don’t like the idea of having one game, hoping it will become a bestseller, and then leaving it to sit on the shelf. Eventually, it will become less popular with players – we don’t want that for our games. 

“We want to be constantly bettering ourselves and our games, so that players always have something new and enjoyable to bet on. And so far, that’s going really well for us.” 

Finding the right time

As we find ourselves in a bit of a lull when it comes to the men’s football calendar, it could be said that many fans are looking for new ways to enjoy the sport. 

So it should come as no surprise that Penalty Shoot-out: Street has been designed in a way to appeal to that demographic of traditional football fans. But did the downtime in live football play a role in why Evoplay chose to launch this title now? 

In Malakchi’s view, there is no ‘right or wrong time’ to launch a game, but rather a time to test out what works best and what can be improved. “I don’t believe there was one singular ‘right time’ to launch this. The right time is when you decide to launch, and until you try, you won’t know,” he continued:

“The key difference between this version of Penalty Shoot-out and previous iterations is that this is much more orientated towards Latin America. The side games feature a lot of street football which is very popular with players. We found this out by launching and then trialling what works.

“We feel that this version is much more oriented towards players that enjoy traditional football games – it brings a sense of nostalgia, similar to the football games people would play when they were younger. 

“The mechanics within the game are much quicker than previous versions of Penalty Shoot-out. Technology has improved a lot since we first launched Penalty Shoot-out, and at Evoplay, we’re growing our own technology stacks even further, so the game is much more optimised. 

“I think this game will prove to be really popular across Latin America, and even more so in Brazil.”

So far, the title has been “very well received” among the exclusive group of operators with which it was launched, with a number drawing attention to the retention capabilities of the game. 

This, the Evoplay CCO added, is particularly important given the rising player acquisition costs and increasingly competitive gaming market.

Malakchi said: “We initially launched this game with an exclusive set of operators just to test the waters and see how it would be received by players. We’ve had some fantastic results, especially when it comes to player retention. This is very important to us. 

“We know how to engage our player bases, but we also want to make sure they keep coming back; this is an area where there is always room for improvement.

“Penalty Shoot-Out Street has been shown to increase retention by more than 20 per cent, which is absolutely fantastic! Right now, we’re in the stage of monitoring results and gathering feedback from players. From there, we will see what is working well and where we need to improve.”

What does the future hold?

Despite only launching Penalty Shoot-out Street a few weeks back, Evoplay already has big plans to add more features to its portfolio with new gamification features and marketing campaigns. 

This will ultimately elevate the gameplay experience and, according to Malakchi, will keep players coming back for more.

“The first launched on 15 July and will be rolled out with a group of operators for testing. And then in Q4, we are planning to launch a new campaign based on this gamification feature,” he concluded.

“There is so much in the pipeline for us when it comes to gamification features that will be added to our games. Our main strategy is to launch these new features and carry out lots of new and exciting marketing campaigns alongside our operator partners. Ultimately, we want to give our partners something that they will enjoy.”

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Available via the bet365 app and website, players in the South American country can now play on the bet365 Casino platform, which features live casino and slots content including multi-layered jackpots, classic-style fruit games and the latest titles.

With headquarters in Barueri, São Paulo, bet365 is also bringing its sports betting offering to Brazil and its responsible gambling tools to help customers play safely.

bet365 was one of over 60 businesses confirmed recently by Brazil’s Ministry of Finance to have completed full licence applications for the Brazilian igaming market. 

“We are delighted to announce our launch in Brazil, and deliver a premium sports betting experience to this vibrant market,” commented a spokesperson for bet365.

“Football fans around the world share a love of the beautiful game, but nowhere is that passion more evident than here. We’re thrilled that our Never Ordinary brand platform can further enhance the enjoyment of the sport for the Brazilian people.

“In addition, we will use our expertise and advanced responsible gambling tools to ensure a safe and responsible environment for all new customers.”

Elsewhere in South America, bet365 launched its online casino and slots offerings in Peru back in October last year.

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It begins a landmark period for the Brazilian market, with a federal framework being implemented in the country. 

The Ministry revealed that a total of “150 licence requests from 145 companies have been submitted to SIGAP” – the data management and license coordination platform of the framework. 

On  12 December, the SPA announced that it had initiated its final procedure to issue Bets licence authorisations for 71 “qualified businesses,” which were given a 30-day window to complete final steps, including the payment of concession fees.

The 68 businesses that have received full authorisations will operate a total of 300 unique brands (though not all brands have been disclosed). 

The last orders issued by the SPA stated that licensed businesses should register their payment and auditing systems with the Financial Activities Control System (Siscoaf) if they are to be compliant with the anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CTF), and ‘prevention of weapons proliferation measures’.

The full scope of licensed operators must request Siscoaf authorisation within 10 days of the official publication to allow their betting platforms to process Bets transactions with Brazilian consumers.

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Announced this morning (30 December), Allwyn has proposed a €217m cash payment, plus €110m in potential performance-based earnouts, to the investors of Logflex MT Holdings in exchange for a majority stake in Novibet

According to Allwyn, the investment will enhance its technology and operational resources for online gambling, with Novibet employing 1,000 staff across hubs in Malta, Greece, and Brazil, and maintaining a market presence in Brazil, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, and Mexico.

Dealmakers stated: “Allwyn’s acquisition of Novibet enhances the group’s technological capabilities, as well as strengthening its position in the online sports betting and gaming markets, in line with Allwyn’s strategy of making selective acquisitions in relevant products, technologies, and content to support its growth.”

Confirming Allwyn’s M&A intent, Group CEO Robert Chvatal said: “Novibet has demonstrated its ability to expand across multiple markets and innovate, which will strengthen our momentum and enhance our offer to players.

“The innovation potential of this transaction is substantial as we look to provide our customers with the very best experience in online sports betting and gaming. Novibet has a world-class team, and we look forward to capitalising on the international opportunities ahead.”

Following the deal, Novibet will remain under the leadership of its founding management team, which will continue to oversee operations after the transaction is completed. The company will continue to operate independently, maintaining its current brand and management structure.

Since 2022, the board of Novibet has revised strategic options to enhance the firm’s capital liquidity and growth plans, which previously included a $700m IPO via a SPAC merger with Artemis Investment Corporation – a deal abandoned in 2023.

Founded in 2010, Novibet is recognised as Greece’s second-largest online gambling group and has expanded its presence in the regulated markets of Italy, Malta, and Ireland. Management sees further growth opportunities in Romania, Hungary, France, and Spain.

George Athanasopoulos, CEO of Novibet, added: “Joining Allwyn marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Novibet. Allwyn’s dedication to growth opportunities was a key factor in our decision, and we look forward to combining their extensive resources and expertise with our leading technology and operational experience.

“This partnership will accelerate our ability to develop proprietary solutions, expand our product offering, and extend our success to a much larger international audience at a faster pace. 

“We also want to recognise the passion and dedication of the entire Novibet team, whose unwavering commitment to our long-term vision has been integral to reaching this milestone. With their continued support, we remain committed to delivering exceptional value for both our customers and our shareholders.”

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Hoping to become a “key player in Brazil’s rapidly growing gaming industry”, Amusnet has gained the appropriate permission to offer slot releases to the nation’s operators once the Brazilian market begins on January 1, 2025.

“Brazil is a strategically important market for Amusnet, and this certification emphasises our dedication to providing exceptional experiences for players and operators while adhering to local regulations,” said Irina Rusimova, Chief Commercial Officer at Amusnet.

As a result of the certification, online casino players in Brazil’s upcoming regulated market will be able to spin the reels on 160 certified Amusnet slots such as 20 Golden Coins Dice Edition, Hot Deco, 100 Power Hot Dice Edition, Extra Crown, Aztec Dice, Candy Palace, Dancing Dead, Diamond Plus and Virtual Roulette. 

Rusimova continued: “It represents a major step in leveraging our global expertise as a leader in igaming solutions, solidifying our position as a trusted and reliable partner for our clients in Brazil.”

The move sees the studio significantly bolster the position of its slot content in the Latin American market. Amusnet’s LatAm Business Development Officer Georgi Izov recently sat down with CasinoBeats to discuss the firm’s strategy for this region, explaining the importance of localisation. 

He said: “We focus on an in-depth localisation process for each country, ensuring that our games’ themes, mechanics, and aesthetics align with local expectations. 

“Traditional casino-themed games like slots and roulette are widely accepted, but we are also developing exclusive content for LatAm, adapting symbols, characters, and mechanics that appeal to the regional player.”

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With the Brazilian market set to come into effect on 1 January 2025, SOFTSWISS has secured permission to offer its online casino aggregation platform to licensed operators as the nation opens its doors to igaming regulation. 

This move signals the igaming provider’s aggregation hub as the first to fully comply with regulations, having completed ‘all necessary preparations’, according to SOFTSWISS. 

Online casino providers such as Pragmatic Play, Evolution and Playtech will gain increased exposure in the Brazilian market as a result of the move, having entered aggregation partnerships with SOFTSWISS’ third-party service. 

Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, commented: “According to our information, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator is the first aggregator fully prepared, both technically and legally, to work in Brazil when the new regulations take effect. This is a significant achievement that the team has worked on diligently and systematically. 

“Our work doesn’t stop here – we are actively adding new providers to help our clients expand their presence in this promising Brazilian market, which is no longer ‘the sleeping giant’. It has awakened, and SOFTSWISS is at the forefront of this exciting transformation.”

SOFTSWISS demonstrated its strong commitment to localisation within the Brazilian market earlier this year by appointing Brazilian Formula 1 legend Rubens Barrichello as a Non-Executive Director. 

The igaming provider also recently enhanced its Game Aggregator solution by adding content from 100HP Gaming to its roster of third-party titles.

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It’s a key move in Brazil’s legislative development around betting,  making up part of a report filed by Senator Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), who serves as Rapporteur for the Senate’s federal tax reform project.

As reported by SBC Notícias Brazil, Braga’s report states sports betting, online games, and fantasy sports are “targeted goods and services deemed harmful to health or that generate negative externalities — such as alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, and fossil fuels.” 

It’s a classification that will have an impact on how the sector is taxed, an area of ongoing scrutiny. 

Authorised in December 2023, the tax framework under Law No. 14,790/2023 applies a general income tax rate of 12% on gross gaming revenues (GGR) for licensed operators. For consumers, a 15% personal income tax will be levied on prizes and winnings exceeding BRL 2,824 (approximately €530), upheld by an executive order from President Lula da Silva.

Although this framework has been approved, it remains subject to further scrutiny. A “Constitutional Amendment Proposal (PEC)” has been introduced to determine whether selective taxes should apply specifically to betting activities. 

Tamas Kadar, CEO and Co-Founder of SEON, shared his view that the Brazilian market is approaching “a transformative moment”.

He told CasinoBeats: “The decision to introduce a locally regulated gambling licence, replacing foreign licensing systems, is poised to have significant ramifications across the market and could spark a “gold rush” dynamic, with companies competing to establish themselves in this newly regulated space.

“The new framework aims to foster transparency and drive economic growth. As part of this change, new compliance requirements will be introduced, including substantial licensing fees and taxes, while also promising significant revenue for Brazil, estimated to boost the economy by $3bn. As a result, Brazil now looks poised to become a major player in the global gambling market.

“However, the transition will not be without its challenges. Operators must navigate a complex regulatory landscape, balancing compliance with stringent licensing requirements while adapting to local enforcement mechanisms. This shift highlights the urgent need for robust fraud prevention measures, which must be implemented and fully operational ahead of the impending January deadline.”

Furthermore, it’s a landmark year, not only for the Brazilian sector but for the whole of Latin America as the region feels the impact of the Brazilian market opening up. 

Kadas emphasised that if managed effectively, Brazil’s model could “serve as a benchmark for other Latin American nations”, as he underpinned the importance of a well-regulated market in attracting investment and maintaining integrity.

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The Senate had commenced its review of the bill in September, after it was backed by Senator Irajá Abreu, it also gained support which emphasised the importance of the Senate to expedite its review to align with the launch of Brazil’s upcoming Bets Market, the federal framework for online gambling regulation.

However, the latest developments have seen it postponed by the Senate until 2025. After an ordinary session, Senator Eduardo Girão cited the need for the temporary move as there is still work to be done around finalising the framework.

The demand was rejected, as Senators noted the bill’s policies were drafted over a decade ago by its former sponsor, Renato Vianna (MDB-SC). Vianna had called on the government to uphold the 1946 Decree Law enacted by President Gaspar Dutra, which prohibited casinos from operating in Brazil’s municipalities and districts.

A proposal by Senator Flávio Arns to postpone the vote and amend its “urgent” status in the legislative agenda was signed by 33 Senators. There is also an official request put in towards the Ministry of Health to evaluate the bill’s budgetary impact and its level of interference with the United Health System (SUS) and the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS). 

Rodrigo Pacheco, President of the Senate, commented: “In case of rejection of the request for urgency and compliance with the request for information, suggested by Senator Flávio Arns, there would inevitably be no possibility of approval this year and it would correspond to the next Board of Directors, to the next Leaders, the decision on the procedure. There would be no such fear of the risk of submission in the coming weeks.”

The casino bill was then removed from the daily agenda by the bill’s rapporteur, Irajá Abreu.“We are living a very turbulent moment with the regulation of betting,” added Senator Alessandro Vieira, as quoted by SBC Noticias.

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The firm emphasised that the move aligns with its strategic ambition to strengthen its foothold across Latin America, with the provider already live in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru.

The acquisition of SysGaming will allow TG Lab to continue delivering bespoke, localised experiences in real-time to LatAm partners in both Spanish and Portuguese.

Commenting on the deal, TG Lab Chief Executive Officer Ugnius Simelionis, said: “We see this move as the start of establishing our LatAm leadership credentials. We’re already partnered with some of the market’s biggest brands, and we’re delighted to welcome the SysGaming team into the TG Lab group.

“SysGaming had established a strong reputation in Latin America for exceptional quality development, its localised games and impressive aggregator – all factors which made them a ‘perfect fit’ for the TG Lab ecosystem.

“Their innovative approach to game design and platform development is one to be admired and has undoubtedly allowed them to build a solid presence in the region.

“We are very much looking forward to leveraging each other’s strengths. With their knowledge and expertise, we can now offer LatAm operators the best localised service on the market. As we continue to grow together over the next 12 months, we have big plans to grow our team in LatAm and solidify our position as an industry leader. Stay tuned for plenty more big developments soon enough.”

By strengthening its localised game development and platform expertise for LatAm, TG Lab’s partners will gain access to native content spanning the sports betting and iGaming verticals, specialised for the region.

SysGaming’s team of almost 30 development experts will also join TG Lab, bringing with them their extensive experience in quality platform development.

The integration of SysGaming’s range of games and platform development capabilities into TG Lab’s proprietary platform will begin immediately, making SysGaming’s full roster of innovative content available to TG Lab’s partners.

This will include SysGaming’s slots and crash games studio, giving TG LAB the opportunity to bring game design capabilities in-house and develop personalised, localised games for partners.

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