Focusing on Latin America, and particularly Brazil, Sportingtech's new LatAm regional sales manager, Marina Selmi, says she will have responsibility for establishing, maintaining and expanding the customer base in the region. “My personal views are very much in line with those of Sportingtech and I will be very open to operators to meet their needs.”
Before assuming her role at Sportingtech, Marina was responsible for regional accounts at AstroPay, where she got closer to iGaming, and at Mastercard Data and Services, becoming definitively involved in the payments segment.
The executive is very excited about the advances in the regulation of sports betting and online gaming in Brazil, but highlights that “there are still challenges, as the process of legalization and regulation of sports betting and iGaming has been slow.”
Even so, she sees that there is immense potential in the sector in Brazil, “with a passionate sports fan base, especially for football, which represents a significant opportunity for sports betting operators.”
GMB – What is your strategy to get closer to Latam players?
Marina Selmi – My strategy prioritizes understanding the unique preferences, behaviors, and cultural nuances of LatAm players as well as building meaningful relationships and a sense of trust. We've seen a huge number of foreign providers and operators recently move into these markets to claim their piece of the market, but attacking this from afar often portrays a lack of commitment.
It was good to see that my personal views were aligned with Sportingtech’s where I want to be honest and open with operators in order to meet their expectations. This industry has been known to overpromise and under deliver and we want to put a stop to that. Being based in Brazil already, I can bring a different level of experience and one that is closer aligned with people in my country and on the continent.
Have you had any previous roles in the industry?
I've been fortunate enough to work in iGaming for nearly three years now. I worked as a Regional Account Sales Manager at AstroPay, where I gained valuable experience in managing relationships with operators.
My most recent position was as an Associate Analyst in Business Development at Mastercard Data and Services, where I was immersed deeper into the world of payments. I am looking forward to utilizing my experience at Astropay working with operators, giving fresh perspective and views to some of their issues and challenges that are sometimes overlooked from a supplier from a different vertical’s perspective.
What are your responsibilities in the company?
As Sportingtech’s Sales Manager, I focus on driving greater success in Latin America, particularly Brazil. I attend key industry events to connect with operators, showcasing on our product and content offerings and why our localized technology is the market leader. Keeping abreast of regulatory changes, I ensure partners are informed and compliant.
What are your thoughts on the Brazilian iGaming and sports betting landscape?
The Brazilian iGaming and sports betting landscape has been experiencing significant growth and evolution in recent years. It’s an exciting time! We have a population of over 200 million people and a growing middle class, where iGaming and sports betting is becoming much more normalized.
There are still challenges regarding regulation and licencing, as the process of legalizing and regulating sports betting and iGaming has been slow-moving, which brings uncertainty in the market., but despite the challenges, there is immense potential in Brazil’s iGaming and sports betting sector.
The country has a passionate sports fan base, particularly for football (soccer), which presents a significant opportunity for sportsbook operators, nowadays you can’t go through an airport or turn on the TV or the radio anymore without hearing or seeing an ad about gambling. Also, the majority of Serie A teams have gambling operators as sponsors on their shirts. This highlights the opportunity for industry brands and how iGaming and sports betting are becoming more ingrained in Brazilian culture.
Source: Exclusive GMB
