Zenith sees Latin American operators demanding more platform functionality

Eddie Morales, business development manager at Zenith, told Yogonet that the company is expanding its Latin American scope past Brazil. He said operators in the region are paying closer attention to what sits behind the platform, including operational control, CRM tools, player loyalty and differentiated content, and not only to pricing. According to Morales, the halt of Brazil's regulated online betting market was the main topic of conversation at SBC Summit Lisbon earlier in October.

Morales said Zenith had obtained certification in Brazil shortly before the suspension, and that agreements already signed and others in progress had been set back. He said he had not expected a complete shutdown of the market and set out two possible paths: reopening within 120 days if Congress does not ratify the measure, or court proceedings in January or February with ratification possibly not until March, perhaps with more limited measures. He said operators with a player database inactive for 30, 60, 90 or 120 days should be prepared to acquire those players again.

On the region, Morales said Peru and Colombia are the strongest and most serious markets on the continent and the most complete in terms of regulation. He described Mexico as accessible but without complete regulation, dependent on a local partner and subject to high taxes; Argentina as highly fragmented with a significant offshore market alongside the regulated one; and Chile as still pending. He named Ecuador as one to watch, said Paraguay is attracting attention, and described Panama as a smaller market with limited impact.

Morales said operators are not looking only at the price of a technology provider, aggregator or platform, and want to configure their operations in detail, including how commercial margins are set with a particular provider. He said the details matter more than price, although price remains important, and that operators do not have an unlimited marketing budget.

Looking ahead, Morales said Zenith must adjust its approach and will pursue opportunities in more countries instead of concentrating mainly on Brazil. Peru is set to become a leading priority, he said. The company is also targeting jurisdictions where an aggregator does not need local certification, an approach it has already used in Mexico, where talks are under way with multiple clients. Morales named Paraguay as another possible source of opportunities, noting existing contacts but a need to visit and develop the market further. He also pointed to the Dominican Republic, which he said is tightening its framework and drafting new online gaming rules, and said Zenith will keep working in Colombia while watching developments in Chile.