GMB - Zitro, as a global company, is entering a new phase, increasingly implementing online. How is the market going for Zitro and Zitro Digital?
Johnny Ortiz - Zitro in general is doing very well, both in the land-based and digital segments. Obviously, we were born as a land-based company, but I have no doubt that the future will also be digital. We are growing more and more, so much so that we have already opened a new technological campus in India. Games will be produced for the land-based market, but an important part will also be dedicated to Zitro Digital. We have already hired important people not just from India, but experts here in London to help with the expansion of Zitro Digital.
Zitro increasingly demonstrates its vocation for technological development with new products and new titles, that’s right?
Everything goes together. It is impossible not to develop things and it is important to have a strong technological base to be able to make a good product. What we did in the land-based market was in such a short period of time. The whole industry talks about this, because we have become a market leader not only in video bingo, but one of the global leaders with many machines.
Logically, we also have to attack the digital part, which is important. We have two paths, one is obviously to take advantage of our own games, because they are very successful, but we will also develop new games dedicated to Zitro Digital.
Speaking of Zitro Digital, how has the placement of titles been with major global operators? Is it through aggregators or directly with operators? How has that been?
This is a mix as it depends on the country, the aggregator, the customer and several factors. Our philosophy, which is important, is the following: we adapt to the customer's needs. Depending on the contract he signs, we will serve him in the best way possible, so that he is super happy. Another factor is that we have a very large team precisely to do this work, which is to boost client websites with aggregators directly or any other good way.
Adapting to the customer is one thing, now adapting to countries and regulated jurisdictions is another. What have Zitro's steps been like, with its eye on the Brazilian market, given that the company has a green-yellow DNA?
True. As a Brazilian, I started the whole gaming business in Brazil. And the truth is that I could never have imagined that Zitro would reach where we are today. We are present in 45 countries, and growing. It is important to take into account our presence in the United States. Non-gaming people don't know, but if you add all the countries in the world together, it doesn't reach the number of machines that exist in the United States. So, it is a country that is worth almost everyone together.
However, the entire compliance part, the entry of licenses, is very, very difficult, and we have already ended the year with 15 states, and I hope to reach 10 more in 2024. In other words, we will be in 25 states by the end of year.
Does this represent half of the American territory occupied by one of the global leaders?
Exactly. And most importantly: there is only growth because the product is good and plays. The acceptance of the United States has been surprising to me and I have always known the importance of adapting to each country. We study a country and its culture, because the way of playing in Spain, and even the game in Spain, is different from the game in Mexico, which is different from the game in Argentina, which is different from the game in Chile, and the tastes of each culture.
We invest a lot of time in finding out what each country needs, what they like, what people like, to have a good product. And on the other hand, we have a wonderful team, a fantastic team, that helps me to control all of this, and it is an important thing that is in Zitro's DNA too, good service to all customers, as they are all important to us.
In other words, can Brazil expects beautiful and pleasant products from Zitro?
As I told you, last year too, we have a product for bingos, independent of videobingo. Everything that people knew about bingo, from those panels, the playing system, we are going to revolutionize in this segment. Zitro will present – and I'm sorry to be honest, but anyone who doesn't, must be crazy – an outstanding solution. I haven't shown it anywhere, and I'm only going to show this product when it's released in Brazil, because otherwise, they'll clearly copy me.
So, we are prepared in videobingo, with more than 100 games for Brazil and more than half of them are new. And I also highlight the following: it will be very, very different. When you enter a bingo room in Brazil – where we won't have a monopoly on the machines, as there are a lot of good people to enter in Brazil – you will recognize Zitro's product from afar, because the difference will be huge.
Source: Exclusive GMB
