"Welcome to my house", said an elegant Bahian woman in perfect Spanish. She opens the door to the Salón Prive, where she receives every night exclusive clients of international category with a custom personalized treatment so that they feel comfortable, bet and enjoy. The voice is from Celina Guedes, VIP Manager at Sun Monticello Casino. Just 45 minutes from the center of Santiago de Chile, the hotel complex appears as an oasis where nothing is missing to satisfy both the player and the rest of his family.
With 13 years in the South African group, Celina proudly accompanies Games Magazine Brasil on a guided tour to present all the facilities, which include the first South American Gaming Bar, the 4,000-seat Monticello Arena, to receive sports, circus and theatrical events, swimming pools and SPA, six top-level restaurants with a wide gastronomic offer of pasta, meat, fish, international food and the best drinks, bowling and other games for children. And, obviously, the biggest casino in Latin America, with more than 1,800 last generation machines, 80 tables and bingo.
At the end of the long walk, we sit down for a coffee and start the conversation to know its entrance in the market, the role as woman in such an important position within a world of men and her projects, where a very special one stands out: attract her compatriots - Brazilian bettors - so they know the advantages of the Sun Monticello Casino and welcome them with everything they need to play.
GMB - First, tell us about your entry into the gaming world...
Celina Guedes - I left Brazil in 2002, when I went to study in England and started working in a casino, but not in the gaming area. I worked at a disco that was inside the place. Casinos in Europe, especially in England at the time, were like clubs where only members could enter, paying a fee; it was not a public casino like today. I started there, but then I was invited by my husband to go to work in South Africa, to which I replied: 'Okay! Let's go to South Africa. ' In 2005, South African casinos were first freed in the border region and soon afterwards came to the cities as part of the gaming law, just as it had in some countries. I entered just as the casinos were leaving the borders and arriving to the cities, staring working at the Windmill casino, in the city of Bloemfontein, in central South Africa. It was a C casino, which at that time had 300 to 400 machines. I started there and stayed for three and a half years.
In 2008, Sun International started a project to open its first casino in Latin America, which is the one here in Chile. We came in about thirty families from South Africa to Chile to ride this monster that is Monticello. Here I stayed for about six years, when we began to expand in Latin America. We opened in 2014 a casino in Panama, Ocean Sun Casino, which was the first VIP casino in the Sun portfolio, and in Cartagena in 2015; and around the same time, from 2015 to 2016, we had a merger with Dreams, a Chilean casino company. Today we are Sun Dreams in South America, but Sun International continues to be the market leader in South Africa and with almost 20 casinos on five continents. About a month ago, we bought the Park Hyatt casino in Mendoza (Argentina), and we continued with the expansion project. And I've been here for thirteen years.
And now what's your role here at Monticello? Tell us also what it's like to be a woman in this important position, in a world dominated by men...
Yes, and much more in gaming. I was even reading a publication from Games Magazine Brazil about Elmarie van Wyk, gaming manager at Sun International's Flamingo Casino, with whom I worked in Bloemfontein. We've been together in this unit and now she's one of the first gaming managers. And it's true, the world is very macho, the industry is sexist. At Sun Dreams, I am International VIP Manager. I manage for the Top 10 group, which are the biggest clients and from which obviously comes the capital. I work with a program that is responsible for 50 to 55% of casino revenue; I have a team of executives who aim to give attention to these top customers. And I have a special look that I develop to bring the Brazilian market to know the Monticello; of course, also focus on Chile's own market and work on a project for Argentina to bring people from Buenos Aires and other important cities to get to know Monticello and all our other properties in Latin America.
If I had to tell a Brazilian the reasons to get to know Monticello, since he is not so close, despite having all this structure, what would you say?
First let's talk about distance. We are three and a half hours from São Paulo and the number of flights per hour is good. Emirates recently launched a flight linking São Paulo to Santiago, which makes it much easier. We already had flights from Gol, Avianca and Latam and now Emirates also offers the route, which helps Brazilians travel to get to know a casino of this level that we have only in Las Vegas. To go to Las Vegas from Brazil spend 12 hours traveling, making connection somewhere. Here we are three and a half hours from São Paulo, that is, very close and between friendly countries. The Chileans love the Brazilians and when they come they are always well received.
We also have to offer snow and cattle. It is very easy to sell Chile to Brazil, as opposed to selling Panama when I had to campaign to bring the Brazilians to the country. The Brazilian should come to Monticello because it is an international level casino, where we have everything. There are more than eight restaurants, concert halls, nightclub, a wonderful hotel with SPA, a very beautiful view to the snowy Andes, that is, it is unique and it is a destination. That is, the Brazilian can come on a weekend to visit Santiago, to ski and we will be here to welcome them. Everyone needs to come and prove it. And effectively the lack of information is my worst enemy in Brazil, where I'm doing an ant job, going little by little. I am interested in bringing segmented clients, casino owners, players, who come to enjoy gaming and all the panorama that is around.
Why were the Brazilians going to Panama more than to Chile?
Lack of information. I also believe that the credit issue made it easier. Brazilian clients were accustomed to travel with credit and Chile, without credit, made it difficult. I also believe that it is a communication problem. There is a lack of information that there is a casino of this size that appeals to the whole family. Because here, and in all entertainment casinos, what is sought is the fun for the whole family, for you, your children and your husband. And that's what makes Sun Dreams a destination for the family. We want everyone to come and enjoy with us.
And has the Brazilian bettor a determined profile? Can you analyze the profile of the Brazilian who leaves the country to play?
They are different, but the Brazilian loves to play. He likes to play, to enjoy the whole environment, are cheerful, charismatic people. I have Chilean clients who go to Conrad (Uruguay) and say that they delight in playing with the Brazilians because they are always happy and here I believe that there is a lack of this in the culture. And that, of course, is how we sell entertainment. Of course people want to play at a fun table with positive people, but that's not what we sell; but the experience, the feeling of winning.
Regarding the currency issue, can Brazilians bet on reais, dollars, Chilean pesos? How does the exchange process work in Sun Dreams?
Since we do not have money exchange houses, we do the exchange in the boxes, but to play. If a Brazilian customer comes, or any nationality, with dollar but wants to play, we make the dollar exchange. However, exclusively for playing, not for other activities, because the goal is to play. We also do the opposite, if they play at roulette and win, they receive in dollar.
As a Brazilian, we can not fail to ask how you see the legalization process in Brazil, which is a bit slow. We also want to know how the Sun group sees the future. In a country with legalized gambling market, is there a chance that Sun will come to Brazil?
We have been very present. I, in particular, visit Brazil monthly, and occasionally twice a month to visit my clients and possible business partners. Obviously we're all waiting. There is a need, and now more than ever, for a fundraiser; and a legalized casino, which generates so many direct and indirect jobs, is undoubtedly a type of industry that has to grow and have a chance. I believe that there is a lot of information and the union of Brazilian businessmen. Here [Chile] has a lot of national capital and many entrepreneurs with purchasing power, who join with casino operators who have experience with the sector. I think it's a perfect match.
They are all waiting, not just the casino operators, but the machine makers, of tables. It's a very big industry and I believe not only us, but the whole world is watching Brazil.
Do you consider that, with gaming legalized, Brazil can become the largest market in the region?
Yes, indeed. Here some information circulates that point out that Brazil will not legalize, and then I think there is a development and a great responsibility of the media in spreading what is legal gaming. There is a stereotype that if you go to a casino you will lose everything, that they will rob you, that prostitution proliferates and all this ... and it is not so. Here are normal people who build their careers and are very serious. The casino is an institution like any other, serious and that pays its taxes and helps the community, like any other company. So we're just waiting for it to open up and be the best for everyone.
Would you like to return to Brazil to work with gaming or see yourself living forever in Chile?
First, I love Chile; I consider myself a "Brachilena". I always tell others that I am "Brachilena". Obviously Brazilian because Brazil is Brazil, but Chile was where I developed professionally thanks to Sun Intenational. Everything I've known so far has been out of Brazil in my career. I have no experience in the Brazilian market, no portfolio signed because all my development was abroad. But I would not mind traveling.
Source: Exclusive GMB
