GMB - Tell us more about Continent 8 Technologies… your most important services and products for the gaming industry and the main markets where the company operates
Michael Tobin - With over 160 online gaming operators, game providers, platform providers, and payment processors in our network. Continent 8 becomes a private network for the gaming sector, being a secure ecosystem for operators to interact with end users. We have locations all over the world with over 50 points of presence and a private network that links them all in a redundant way, our reach is truly global and secure.
What is the differential that leads you to be so successful and recognized?
A global private network and ecosystem. We have become the backbone of the internet for the gaming industry. Operators recognize that if they want the end-user to have the best experience on their site, their best shot at achieving that is becoming part of the infrastructure we have built.
How do you see the Brazilian market and what are your expectations on it? Have you dimensioned it yet? Would it be similar to someone where you already work?
We see the Brazilian market as one of the most exciting markets in the world, especially in Latin America. With over 200 million people that love sports, we expect the market to be VERY large. Right now as the USA is growing and expanding in Sports Wagering online, we would expect Brazil to experience a similar if not larger growth.
Recently, you have met with Brazil's Ministry of Economy. Have you made available to them to provide technological solutions in the area of sports betting?
Exactly, that was our goal, to become at no cost to the ministry, a source of consultancy and assistance to their technical team. We have worked with regulators all over the world to assist them with Internet infrastructure questions, cyber security, cloud, network, hosting etc. We are in over 50 locations around the world, and we work with dozens of regulators in many technical needs, not two regulators do things exactly the same. Everyone requires different things and we want to help Brazil understand our lessons learned. At the end of the day, we want the end user to have the very best experience they can have, which would be through a safe and fast internet network, and operators and regulators to provide this to the end user.
After seeing the main rules that the Ministry presented for operators that are going to work in Brazil, what does Continent 8 can offer to the Secretary?
We can offer assistance to the technical teams, as well as our previous experience in working in many other regulations. We have been through this “regulation” process a few times in our companies long history. The fact that we remain neutral when it comes to operators and game providers, makes us different as a source of consultancy.
Is Continent 8's idea that the Government can monitor the networks to control possible money laundering operations and help to COAF (Anti Money Laundering)?
Anti Money Laundering is always a topic of conversation with the gaming industry. Our network could potentially provide a way for the COAF to monitor illegal activities through data analysis, but it all would have to be regulated and directed by the regulations and under the knowledge of our customers.
How was the meeting and what conclusions did you get? What impression did you take of the work carried out by the Brazilian Government in terms of regulation?
The Secretary and his committee gave us the impression they want to do everything the right way and are very open to hearing from the industry what works well and what doesn’t. The meeting was very positive and we left with the impression that regulation will happen in a very short time frame.
Brazil is a country that, due to the size of its population, resembles a continent. What difficulties or issues should be taken into account to achieve business success? What worries you most about this new market?
It is such a large country with so many people. As long as regulation is put in place, online activity is transparent and secure. We think it has the potential to very quickly become one of the top markets for online operators in the world. We are very excited about it.
Could you be physically installed in Brazil in the future when the regulation is already approved?
Absolutely. Lets see what happens in the next 6 months and then lets talk some more.
Source: Exclusive Games Magazine Brasil
