Racing can drive LatAm gambling expansion, argues Sportech VP ahead of Juegos Miami

With racing perceived more as a leisure pursuit rather than an opportunity to gamble (Brazil has racecourses across its vast territory, yet despite a population of more than 200 million, its racing industry generated just €86 m/$98.2m in bets in 2014) Fischer believes that it is in the interest of racing’s stakeholders to assess how it can benefit from digital developments.

She explained: “As we have seen, not only in Latin America but also in North America and Europe, a robust digital strategy – especially mobile – can help racing operators bridge the gap between on-course and off-course betting, and help elevate the consumer experience. Key for operators in Latin America will be to overcome some of the very same issues that confronted operators in North America as they began their shift to digital over a decade ago. That is firstly, to determine the best way forward given local political, financial, regulatory and other possible mitigating factors. Second, to understand how a shift to more online and digital will impact the on-track economics, especially if they welcome third party ADW providers into their market.”

Sportech has developed a huge presence in the Latin American and Caribbean region over the years, with Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic just some of the countries in which it operates. The company provides a wide range of solutions to operators across the region, from pari-mutuel betting platforms to websites, and it is the incorporation of new technologies such as these that Fischer believes can help racing to thrive.

“Innovations in digital channels, global commingling, and self-service betting offer opportunities for innovation," Fischer said. “We at Sportech believe that offering robust, engaging and easy-to-use mobile services is vital to engaging consumers, even those who are new to racing. Our systems are used by customers all over the world to help find new markets for their pools and offer new content to their players.”

With big changes expected in the gambling industry in major nations such as Brazil and Mexico in the future, Fischer added that the sector as a whole can give itself a better chance of success by building strong relationships with racing. “Horseracing has a long, impactful history in the region and its popularity remains very high," Fischer said. “It is beneficial for operators in other types of gaming to understand how horseracing fits into the gaming expansion equation in the region and to understand how the racing industry – and the organisations like Sportech that service it – provide services that are complementary to other forms of gaming.”