GAT Expo CDMX opens its doors with an academic conference analyzing present and future of the gaming industry

This Wednesday, August 27, GAT Expo CDMX 2025 begins at the Expo Santa Fe Convention Center in Mexico City. Leaders and experts will gather there to analyze the present and future of gaming in Mexico and Latin America.

The GAT CDMX Academy will mark the start of the event's official program, serving as an essential reference point for analysis and knowledge exchange in the region's gaming industry.

The formal opening of the academic conference will be attended by prominent figures such as Fadlala Akabani, representing the Mexico City Government Secretariat; Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos (Colombia); Miguel Ángel Ochoa and Óscar Paredes Arroyo, executives of AIEJA; Felipe Vallejo, CEO of Bitso Mexico and representative of the Fintech Mexico Association; and José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of Gaming & Technology Expo.

Conferences and panels

In addition to the aforementioned authorities, the academic sessions will be attended by lawyers and specialized consultants with extensive experience in the gaming sector in Mexico, as well as leading entrepreneurs from supplier and operator companies in this country and the global industry with a presence in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The Institutional Academy will take place today from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and this is the program:

FORMAL OPENING: 9:30–9:45 a.m.

Panelists: Fadlala Akabani, Undersecretary of the Government of Mexico City. Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos (Colombia). Miguel Ángel Ochoa, President of AIEJA. Óscar Paredes Arroyo, President of the Board of Directors of AIEJA. Felipe Vallejo, Fintech Mexico Association-CEO, Bitso Mexico. José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT EXPO.

PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE MEXICAN GAMING MARKET: 9:45 - 10:25

Moderator: Karen Sierra Hughes, Vice President of GLI Latin America, Caribbean, and Spain.

Panelists: Fadlala Akabani, Deputy Secretary of the Government of Mexico City. (To be confirmed) Alfredo Lazcano, Lazcano Sámano S.C. David Sides, CEO of Logrand Entertainment Group.

UPDATE ON THE GAMBLING AND RAFFLE LAW IN MEXICO: 10:25 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.

Moderator: Rosa Ochoa, Director of SCCG Management LATAM.

Panelists: Oscar Paredes Arroyo, President of the Board of Directors of AIEJA. Carlos Portilla, PR&A.

Coffee Break: 11:05-11:20.

IMPORTING MACHINES, CHALLENGES IN DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING IN MEXICO: 11:20 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Moderator: José Luis Álvarez, PR&A.

Panelists: Iraid Rosales, Country Manager, Amusnet Mexico. Enrique Manjarréz, Novomatic Mexico. Luis Casamayor, CEO, FBM Mexico. Alonso Ramírez, Lawyer Consulting. Gerardo De La Torre, Customs Advisor, Mexico.

AFFILIATE MARKETING: HOW TO SUCCEED IN 2026? STRATEGIES TO CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF BETTORS DURING THE WORLD CUP: 12:10 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Panelist: Joaquín Gago, CEO of Betandeal

THE LATEST IN INNOVATION: ONLINE GAMING, IGAMING, AND SPORTS BETTING: 12:30 p.m. - 1:05 p.m.

Moderator: Víctor Arias, VP Latin America Arrise powering Pragmatic Play. Panelists: Germán Sarmiento, Country Manager of Betcris Mexico. Luis Caro, Country Manager of Luckia Mexico. Enrique Romero, Online Director of Golden Lion. Roberto Muller, Director of Playdoit.

REGULATORY EXPERIENCES IN SOUTH AMERICA: FIGHTING ILLEGAL GAMBLING: 1:05 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Moderator: Miguel Ángel Ochoa, President of AIEJA. Panelists: Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos (Colombia). Luis Gama, Gaming Consultores, former National Director of Loterías y Quinielas (Uruguay). Javier Balbuena, Gaming Consultores, former President of CONAJZAR (Paraguay). José Casapía, SONAJA, Institutional Relations Manager at NOVOMATIC Peru.

PAYMENTS, ACCOUNTS, AND CREDITS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY: 1:45 p.m. - 2:05 p.m.

Panelists: Alex Herrera, Commercial Director at KLU. Alan Parra, Director at AIEJA Online. Alberto DeJamal, CEO at Klu Tech. Fabián Ferrari, former CEO at Getnet Santander.

OKRS APPLIED TO THE GAMBLING INDUSTRY: 2:05 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.

Daniel Arias, Director of Amusnet Colombia, Central America & The Caribbean.

LATIN AMERICAN SUMMIT OF GAMING ASSOCIATIONS DISCUSSION: 2:25 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Moderator: Evert Montero, President of FECOLJUEGOS.

Panelists: Miguel Ángel Ochoa, President of AIEJA. Lorena Rojas, President of APOJA. Fernando Calderón, President of SONAJA. Elizabeth Maya, President of CORNAZAR. Javier Milián, President of CIBELAE. David Moniz, President of ADCJ.

CLOSING OF THE ACADEMIC CONFERENCE: 3:00 p.m.

More activities and networking

This afternoon, the AIEJA Assembly will also be held, open only to members and guests.

In the evening, the GAT organization will hold a networking event, which will be an Opening Reception (limited spaces available) at the Big Bola Santa Fe Casino.

It should be added that yesterday (August 26), the LMG Fútbol Experience took place, an amateur soccer tournament organized by Latam Media Group, which brought together entrepreneurs from different countries in an atmosphere of friendship among colleagues. The soccer matches took place at Jesús ‘Palillo’ Martínez stadium and were the perfect prelude to a week of networking and connection building.

Finally, GAT Expo highlighted that the Mexico City edition is projected to be "the main meeting point for regulators, associations, operators, and suppliers, positioning Mexico as a strategic hub for the gaming industry in the region."