VIE 29 DE MARZO DE 2024 - 04:32hs.
Johnny Ortiz, President and Founder

"If all goes well, Brazil should have a gaming law in the second half of the year"

(Exclusive GMB) - Brazilian businessman president and founder of Zitro, Johnny Ortiz, comments that the participationof the company in ICE 2018 will be very important to leverage its growth in the European market. 'We will show for the first time an important range of gaming machines based on the BRYKE family. Our booth will be a meeting place to talk about Brazil and we are very excited to realize that everyone understands that regulation will be beneficial to the country,' he says.

GMB - What are the new Zitro features that will be presented at ICE London?
Johnny Ortiz - This year the trade showr will be very important for us, since it will be the first in which Zitro will present in Europe not only a wide range of videobingo games, but also an impressive line of machines. Our team has done an incredible job in the last few months and this will be demonstrated at our booth N1-460. Under our BRYKE family brand, we will be introducing new progressive benches for the first time. Additionally we will showcase the already known progressive Blazing Pears in our line of FUSION cabinets.

The FUSION combines high technology with a modern and sophisticated design, in addition to its slant version that occupies less space than any other model with the same characteristics of the market. And of course, we'll show the market the winning multiplayer Pick & Win library with new games that promise to be the show's attraction. Zitro's videobingo products and services will also have a special place in our booth. The Vip Club Zitro loyalty system, the transformative series of games Showprize, as well as a multitude of new games, with more features and prizes, to mention just a few of our great innovations.

What is your perception of the show and how does Zitro see the European gaming market?
ICE London has been one of the most important fairs for the global gaming industry for many years and also for us . Zitro has been a long time in the event and now, with our new and wider range of products, being present at ICE is, more than ever, an essential moment to show our European customers that we are prepared to compete in the highest level.

The European market is key for Zitro and we are dedicating a lot of attention and effort to make our products satisfy players in all countries of the continent. As Europe is a market composed of jurisdictions of great regulatory and cultural diversity, we must prioritize our objectives and, even though our new range of products in Fusion has arrived in Portugal, Spain and France, we are working to consolidate Fusion in many others during the coming months.

How was the year 2017 for the company and what are the prospects for 2018?
2017 was a spectacular year for us. Not only are we celebrating our tenth anniversary, but we have successfully launched such important new features as the new Fusion cabinet, a broader videogame library than ever before, accompanied by promotional and loyalty systems not yet in the market. And of course the launch of our range of Bryke machines with unprecedented success. All this has served to consolidate our undisputed leadership in Mexico, to double our presence in Latin America, to grow notably in the European market and, in short, to confirm Zitro as a company with a vocation to be a global leader. To sum up, a very complete year that everyone at Zitro is proud of and that allows us to start 2018 full of expectations and with a lot of desire to keep growing.

When talking about perspectives, we can not fail to approach the Brazilian market. As someone that really knows and understands the country, how do you analyze the steps taken so far to regulate the sector in Brazil?
Everyone in Brazil has done an excellent job. I see that at last our politicians as well as other authorities, such as the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Federal Revenue Office, are fully aware of the importance of the new law of this industry so vigorous in the world. Logic is prevailing and today with the advancement of technology and controls it is impossible to say that you can not control bingos and casinos, as it has also been proven that the whole money laundering issue does not exist, but it is clear that some still want to raise these flags because they have no other argument.

In election year everything is always more difficult in the National Congress due to political interests. Do you believe that it will be easier or more difficult for Brazil to regulate the activity this year?
It is always difficult to pass a law and, in this case, if everything goes well it should be in the second half.

Which of the projects do you find easiest to pass, the Senate or the House? And which do you think is best for the gaming industry?
Logically, the Senate must first come out, more complete and quite interesting for the gaming industry and more beneficial for the country.

It will certainly be one of the hot topics at ICE London. How do you see the discussions taking place about Brazil at the show?
Every year the Zitro booth is one of the central points of discussion of what happens in Brazil, and surely this year will not be different.

Source: Exclusive GMB