GMB - How do you see, from a technical point of view, the process of regulating sports betting in Brazil?
Thiago Faustino - I think everything that is being proposed is very valid, both in terms of responsible gaming and facial recognition. But we are still waiting for developments, especially because the project will return to the Chamber of Deputies and may undergo changes. This way, we will be able to know what the framework of the technical requirements will actually be like.
The Ministry of Finance sought to listen to all players in the sector, but it is known that the focus was on bookmakers and associations. Were platform developers left out of these consultations?
As the betting houses already have solution providers, they themselves take technological issues to the technicians, as the developers provide the solutions that the houses need. The demands of sportsbooks encompass this. Weebet was not approached, but the operators using our platform have an understanding of what is beneficial, in technical terms, for regulation.
As a Brazilian company, what is your assessment of the requirements set out by the government for regulating the sector?
I believe that Weebet, as a Brazilian company, can only praise technology professionals and the national industry. Especially because, as a Brazilian company, we collect taxes and absorb technological labor internally and do not owe anything to foreign companies in terms of technology. We are competing on equal terms with companies that have been in the market for much longer and work in other jurisdictions.
Weebet's biggest difference, as a national company, is that we understand the various 'Brazils' we have here. Some foreign companies do not understand the particularities and specificities of the national market. Weebet is one step ahead for those who want to serve Brazilian players well.
We always see your presence not only at events in Brazil, but also at international fairs. Competing with large global companies, does Weebet have the advantage of knowing the Brazilian market and the needs in our country?
Not only that. It's the main point, but I remember that some international companies don't offer support in Portuguese or understand local needs. They serve their clients very well in other jurisdictions where the types of players are different. I give India as an example, where cricket is prominent and is much more bet on than football. These particularities need to be well understood to serve operators well. Those who do not pay attention to this are doomed to failure. Operators who use the Weebet platform have a step ahead and I'm not just talking about Weebet, but also other platform developers in Brazil.
As a professional involved with technology, you know that robustness, agility and a good interface for the end user are fundamental to the success of betting houses. What is your role in this regard?
The first point, as you said – although our customers are B2B – Weebet's main objective is the success of operators and, therefore, we need to have a very strong focus on the end user's experience and what they want and need. We must emphasize that the objective is to offer entertainment and leisure. We have to do all this work to focus on the player so that he has what he likes. This is the support of Weebet, as a technology company, focusing on Brazilian bettors.
Do you spend a lot of time browsing betting sites to see how each one works and how the platform interacts with the user and provide your customers with the best solution?
Exactly. We have a technical UX team that monitors the user experience. At the same time, we participate, as you mentioned, in international events, to look for trends that are interesting to bring what the player wants. I mention the partnership with ParlayBay. It's new and an interesting experience for players. This is what we seek to do: that the success of the operators is our success.
It was ParlayBay's first partnership in the region. Is this a demonstration of the confidence of a major global player in Weebet's robustness and technological capabilities?
Of course. We are always looking for news and trends and ParlayBay could not fail to be one of them. We closed other important partnerships, such as with Evolution and PG. Casinos are on the rise. 2023 was the year of the casino, crash games and slots. So, forming these partnerships with large game development studios is essential for any operation.
The sports betting sector is eager for news. How do you see the evolution of technology since there is so much talk about Artificial Intelligence, Metaverse and other tools that make work easier for game and platform developers?
2024 will still be a strong year for Artificial Intelligence. The Metaverse is embryonic and will take a while, but AI is a reality and I think it tends to develop a lot and be increasingly present in players' lives.
From players only or also to game and platform developers?
Also. Go through all the steps. Bookmaker operators need AI for risk management, BI reporting and everything else. AI will help everyone from players to developers who, if they don't use AI, will be left behind, and also operators.
Could you give us a look back at what 2023 was like for Weebet and what your plans are for next year?
2023 was a very successful year, not only for Weebet but for the entire market. Brazilian industry grew a lot this year. Weebet had several milestones, but we can highlight participation in BiS SiGMA Americas. It was a turning point, where we managed to do a lot of business and networking. Participating in fairs allowed us to exchange many ideas that contributed to our development and growth.
By 2024, with the regulation we will adapt technically so that operators can meet all the requirements that the government demands. It will be a year of adjustment to regulations.
In several jurisdictions, some large platform developers have ended up launching their own sportsbooks. Could this be considered in the future by Weebet?
We don't like to do futurology, but for now it's not in our plans to open a betting shop. Our mission is to bring customer success to life. If we focus too much on other things, we lose focus a little, which is customer success. We can say that we have several betting houses, because each client is as if it were our operation, as we dedicate ourselves to each one, body and soul. Their success is our success.
Source: GMB Exclusive
