GAT Expo CDMX 2025 Academy: Regulation, innovation, regional unity drive Latin American industry agenda

The Latin American gaming industry held a major event yesterday, when the GAT CDMX Academy became the meeting point and prelude to the GAT Expo CDMX trade show.

At the Expo Santa Fe Convention Center, according to official data, over 300 attendees participated in an intense day that brought together authorities, regulators, operators, manufacturers, suppliers, and associations from across the continent, in a space for debate and training that consolidated Mexico as a major hub for discussions about the future of the industry.

The event began shortly after 9:00 a.m. with welcoming remarks from key industry leaders. Speakers included Miguel Ángel Ochoa, President of AIEJA; Óscar Paredes Arroyo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AIEJA; Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos (Colombia); Felipe Vallejo, head of the Fintech Mexico Association and CEO of Bitso Mexico; and José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Expo and organizer of the Academy.

From the outset, the packed auditorium set the tone for a day that balanced strategic vision and critical analysis of the main challenges facing the industry in Mexico and Latin America.

The first panel focused on the present and future of the Mexican market. Moderated by Karen Sierra Hughes, Vice President of GLI for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain, the discussion featured Alfredo Lazcano, a lawyer specializing in gaming and fintech, and David Sides, Director of Logrand Entertainment Group. Both agreed that Mexico is facing a key juncture, where expectations for growth converge with regulatory urgencies that still limit the market's potential.

This was followed by another panel discussion focusing on updating the Gaming and Raffles Act, an issue that reappeared as a recurring theme throughout the day.

Moderated by Rosa Ochoa, Director of SCCG Management LATAM, and with contributions from Óscar Paredes Arroyo and Carlos Portilla (PR&A), the debate highlighted the need for an in-depth reform.

The specialists pointed out that the current regulation, enacted in 1947, "is completely outdated," which complicates the actions of legal companies and hinders the control of illegal gambling and the fight against money laundering.

The challenge of casino manufacturers to supply a virtually closed market   

The latter segment was devoted to the provision of equipment for casinos. The talk "Importing machines, challenges in distribution and marketing in Mexico," moderated by José Luis Álvarez (PR&A), featured Iraid Rosales, Country Manager of Amusnet Mexico; Enrique Manjarrez of Novomatic Mexico; Luis Casamayor, General Director of FBM Mexico; Alonso Ramírez, Lawyer Consulting; and Gerardo De La Torre, Customs Advisor.

The panelists agreed that the country is going through a critical moment in terms of customs, with a virtual ban on imports of gaming equipment.    

As an example, they pointed out that October 2024 was the last window for bringing in machines, and that the current political situation makes it "almost impossible" to renew the supply in gaming halls.

"We are forced to be creative, and we are experiencing a sort of second pandemic, as we are unable to provide operators with the necessary service. Some of us have had some stock that we could access when imports were closed, and we have been creative in adapting equipment, modifying software, and inventing options that allow us to respond to customers who demand new products and who are increasingly difficult to supply," explained Enrique Manjarrez of Novomatic Mexico.

"Today, we have no response from the authorities, nor can we give our current and potential customers a response time with gaming equipment on the market. We really hope that this solution will come in the short term, because the situation is very negative for our industry," added Iraid Rosales of Amusnet Mexico.

"In the short term, the only solution is to assemble in Mexico. There is no definite date for finding a solution, and we are facing a natural product renewal cycle. We are at a point where casinos are demanding, and as a company, we have to meet that demand. The only option I see is to manufacture locally," concluded Luis Casamayor of FBM.

Affiliate marketing and innovation in online gaming

The second part of the conference focused on the digital ecosystem. Joaquín Gago, CEO of Betandeal, opened the session with a presentation on affiliate marketing and how this model can capitalize on public attention surrounding the 2026 World Cup.

This was followed by the panel discussion "The latest in innovation: online gaming, iGaming, and sports betting," moderated by Víctor Arias, VP Latin America Arrise powering Pragmatic Play. He was joined by Germán Sarmiento (Betcris Mexico), Luis Caro (Luckia Mexico), Enrique Romero (Golden Lion), Eduardo Villegas (Playdoit), and Jorge Rojas (Prometeo IT).

The experts analyzed the growing role of artificial intelligence in the industry, both in the design of new products and in the interpretation of customer behavior. Omnichannel, user experience, and the importance of integrating online betting with retail operations were other key topics.

Beyond the Mexican market

The regional nature of the GAT Academy was demonstrated by panels that transcended the Mexican reality.

One of the most notable was "Regulatory experiences in South America: Tackling illegal gambling," with the participation of Miguel Ángel Ochoa (AIEJA), Marco Emilio Hincapié (Coljuegos), Luis Gama (Gaming Consultores, Uruguay), Javier Balbuena (Gaming Consultores, Paraguay), and José Casapía (SONAJA, Peru).

The speakers shared regulatory strategies applied in their countries to tackle illegal gambling, with a particular focus on the oversight of digital operations, institutional organization, and cross-border cooperation.

Another important event was the talk on "Payments, Accounts, and Credits in the Gaming Industry," led by Alex Herrera (Klu), Alan Parra (AIEJA Online), Alberto Djemal (Klu Tech), and Fabián Ferrari (formerly of Getnet Santander).

The conference delved into the financial obstacles facing the industry in Latin America, from banking restrictions on opening accounts to the growing importance of fintechs and cryptocurrency payments, as a response to the historical demonization of the industry.

Finally, Daniel Arias, Amusnet's Director for Colombia, Central America, and the Caribbean, presented a conference on “OKRs – Key Objectives and Results applied to the gaming industry,” introducing a strategic management methodology that is unusual in the industry.

Latin American guilds and associations confirm their union

The closing of the GAT Academy had a historic tone, with the "Latin American Summit of Gaming Associations Discussion," led by Evert Montero, President of FECOLJUEGOS Colombia. Other participants included Miguel Ángel Ochoa (AIEJA), Lorena Rojas (APOJA, Paraguay), Fernando Calderón (SONAJA, Peru), Elizabeth Maya Cano (CORNAZAR, Colombia), David Moniz (Dominican Association of Gaming Casinos), and Javier Milián (CIBELAE).

Within this framework, the creation of the Latin American Gaming Network was officially announced, an initiative that will bring together associations, guilds, and representatives of the industry in over 18 countries, including Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Spain, and several countries in Central America and the Caribbean.

The day ended with the AIEJA Assembly and, late into the night, with a reception at the Casino Big Bola Santa Fe, which served as a prelude to the start of the GAT Expo CDMX, which started today at 10 a.m., featuring product exhibitions, workshops, and the LATAM Associations Summit.

GAT CDMX 2025 Academy