GMB – How was the Latin American market for Amusnet this year, 2024?
Marco Pequeno – It advanced significantly, and Amusnet is growing well in the Latin American market. We have a strong presence in countries beyond Brazil, where the company has been present for some time, but still in a rather modest way.
This will change next year. We will have a very prominent presence, and we already have a well-defined strategy for the upcoming year. Our expectation for 2025 is an extremely competitive market, not just for operators but also for providers. It will be very interesting to see the directions it takes.
Amusnet itself did not have a strong presence in Brazil until a country manager was appointed. Is this a demonstration of the company's interest in the Brazilian market?
Absolutely. I strongly support the idea—and this was discussed with Amusnet during the hiring process—that you cannot be a country manager for a country where you do not live and which you do not know. This applies to any market. Your interest is directly proportional to the actions you take within it.
It’s not enough to just translate games or platforms. You need to be present with a team, a strategy, and a mindset embedded in the market. So yes, certainly, Amusnet’s decision to have someone in Brazil and to have chosen me is a strong indicator of how our presence in the market will be next year.
What are Amusnet's plans for this presence in Brazil in 2025?
Our strategy is quite aggressive. We already have a very aggressive plan, both in marketing and commercially, with our operators. I have the advantage of understanding the different nuances and characteristics of my competition and, naturally, I have to use this to my advantage. I am leveraging these advantages both in the commercial and operational realms to advance rapidly and aggressively in the market in 2025.
From a technical perspective, we have a series of rules and regulations that define how the games will operate and everything else. Are all of Amusnet’s games certified and ready for the Brazilian market?
We are already in the process. We are in the second phase of games that are being certified for the market, and we still have many others to be certified in the third phase. But yes, we will be ready on January 1st, with certified, integrated, and activated games available through various operators with whom we already have agreements.
Many operators have already applied for their licenses, and several of them are working in this provisional phase. Do you think they will be ready by January 1st?
We will only be present with regulated operators. In fact, we have already begun working within the regulated market. For operators not on the pre-approved list by the government, we have blocked real-money bets. So, the game is active on the site, but it no longer accepts bets in Brazilian reais if the site is not on the approved list.
With this, no one can place bets in Brazilian reais on unauthorized sites. This is how we contribute in the most efficient and immediate way possible. It’s our commitment to the regulated Brazilian market from the very beginning. Starting in January, we will be active only with regulated operators and with certified games.
Is this a commitment from Amusnet to regulation in Brazil?
Absolutely. I've been part of the industry for a long time, and I’ve always supported regulation. We want it to happen because it benefits everyone. People might say, “Oh, but taxes will be paid?” That’s fine; taxes are part of a regulated and mature market. What we want is the security that comes with it. There’s no point in advocating for a regulated market and not doing our part.
So yes, this is a firm commitment from Amusnet to the regulated market in Brazil, a strong desire shared not only by Amusnet but by all the players in the industry.
Source: Exclusive GMB
