"The goal of regulation is to create a framework that supports operators and channels players towards regulated markets"

As SBC Summit Americas brought together operators, regulators and suppliers from across the hemisphere in Florida, many of the industry’s biggest conversations revolved around the future of gaming: prediction markets, artificial intelligence, evolving regulation and the next wave of growth in Latin America. For Betsson Group, the event reflected an industry increasingly focused on long-term transformation while still navigating the realities of rapidly maturing markets.

In this interview conducted during the show, Andrea Rossi, Commercial Director LatAm at Betsson Group, discussed with Yogonet how the company is approaching the ongoing World Cup, the growing debate around prediction markets and the regulatory outlook across Latin America.

You participated in several panels during SBC Summit Americas. What were some of your main takeaways from the event, both from the discussions on stage and from conversations around the show floor?

There was a very strong focus on new trends and innovation, especially around prediction markets and how the industry is expected to evolve over the coming years. There was also a lot of discussion about the rapid acceleration of technology and the growing role of artificial intelligence.

This edition of SBC felt very future-oriented. The conversations were less about the present and more about where the industry is heading.

That said, the present still matters. This is an industry where operators must continue acting responsibly, but regulators also have an obligation to keep improving regulatory frameworks so markets can mature properly and develop in a sustainable way.

Ultimately, the goal is to create environments that are favorable both for operators and for channeling users into regulated markets.

One of the major topics during the panels was obviously the World Cup. From Betsson’s perspective, how are you approaching the tournament, especially considering your strong presence in football-focused countries like Argentina?

This is what I would call a “Latin-friendly” World Cup. After the last edition in Qatar, this tournament being played in Mexico, Canada and the United States means match schedules will be much more favorable for Latin American audiences.

There will also be 104 matches, more teams and more football overall. Argentina, Brazil and Colombia will all be participating, although unfortunately Peru and Chile will not. Still, from our perspective, there is a very strong foundation to work with.

We prepared well in advance and have already launched our World Cup campaign. Now, may the best team win.

As you mentioned, prediction markets have become one of the biggest topics at this year’s event. Even panels that weren’t directly about prediction markets eventually discussed them. Do you see them becoming part of the gaming industry, operating in parallel or something else entirely?

There's almost a philosophical discussion about how prediction markets should be treated. Ultimately, it is not for me to decide. Regulators and authorities will determine the best way to regulate them. Completely eliminating prediction markets will be impossible, just as it is very difficult to eliminate gray-market operators in regulated jurisdictions.

The important thing is to regulate the sector properly and intelligently, creating frameworks that can integrate prediction markets into existing regulated environments.

We cannot ignore that this represents an opportunity, and I imagine regulators understand that as well. The challenge is determining whether prediction markets should fit primarily within an entertainment framework or within a financial one.

Betsson has extensive experience across multiple regulated markets. Looking at Latin America, how do you assess the regulatory outlook for this year and next?

A great deal of important work was done last year, at least from Betsson’s perspective, particularly in Peru and Brazil.

Now we are seeing significant developments in Chile as well, and hopefully progress will happen soon. What we need is a clear, transparent, flexible and sustainable regulatory framework.

That is essential not only for operators, but also to ensure strong channelization within regulated markets. That is the regulator’s challenge.

As operators, our role is to contribute by maintaining high standards of responsibility, strong customer protection measures and, above all, delivering entertainment, which remains the foundation of our business.