Mobile online gambling in Latin America

Sports betting is considered the most appropriate gambling for cell phones. The arrival of important sports events in the region constitutes a key test of this new model.

While land based operators must work under strict regulatory frameworks, in many cases, there is no such robust and specific regulation as far as mobile betting is concerned, with the result that many operators are still averse to getting involved. That said, of course mobile technology clearly serves the purpose as a means through which to run marketing strategies to generate customer loyalty.

An example case is would be that of a casino giving a tablet to its VIP players so they can gamble “for free” everywhere, earn points and achievements (through “gamification” techniques) and then redeem them in their following visit to the casino through chips or any kind of gift suited to the player profile.  


Or more vertically, the strategy could also be centred on encouraging the player to install a casino application on his/her smartphone for the same purpose, or accessing a responsive website specifically designed for this.

The creativity of the design of marketing approaches for these purposes is considerable. Mobile devices are personal items and may be used habitually, arguably increasing the risk of gambling  problems, but mobiles are also largely used in leisure times or in waiting periods, which allows for an indirect but constant channel of communication with the player, increasing brand awareness.


Campaigns for new mobile players recruitment must be designed by specialists with experience and knowledge of the online gaming market at a global level. We know that resources for this are very limited in the region, so it is necessary to start training professionals appropriately, or identifying new profiles that fit with this strategy.

The “wearables” boom is expected in 2014. These electronic thumbnail devices interact with current devices such as smartphones. One of the wearable devices most tipped for commercial success is the smart-watch. This opens another window of opportunity to reach the player, whether from land based or online betting venues.

Payment processors face a very important challenge. Although there are diverse payment and charge options for mobiles, many of them require working on regulated markets. However, a mobile application need not necessarily be in the Apple App Store or, for Android, in Google Play. A simple web-page using all the strength of HTML5 could perform just as well as a native application and use all the existing transaction resources directly from the web.