"Crane has great solutions for the gaming area in Brazil"

In this exclusive interview, Games Magazine talks to Rudi Borgato, Crane Payment Innovations' Latin America business manager for gaming, one of the world's largest providers of payment systems, especially note and coin validators.

For Borgato, who heads the company's Las Vegas operations in Latin America, the gaming industry has great expectations on the approval of serious legislation in Brazil. "We expect the law to be voted through May, since after that the movements for the election campaign begin, which could make it difficult to regulate the sector this year."

GMB - Please tell us a little about your trajectory in the gaming industry, in such a sensitive area as payment methods.
Rudi Borgato - I started working in the gaming sector in 1998, but I left for two years to work with ATMs. But the passion for gaming industry was greater and I ended up returning to this market, having been for 12 years at Crane Payment Innovations. With this, I am completing 20 years in the area of ​​payment methods.

GMB - How was it for you to operate in the Brazilian market during the period when the bingos were in operation? Was it a big market?
It was a great school, where I met many people who are still working in the market. The challenges were many, but we achieved a great market position throughout this period.

GMB - What is your expectation regarding the regulation of gaming in Brazil? Do you think it will happen in the first half of 2017?
Here in Las Vegas there are great expectations, but the distrust in the repeated delays also generates many frustrations. The Senate bill is not the preferredone, while the House bill has almost unanimous support. We believe that if there is no approval until May, we will hardly have a law, much as a result of the electoral calendar, which may hinder regulation later this year.

GMB - With such important brands as Cash Code, which has already been a reference in the Brazilian market, what evaluation do you make of the return of the activity in the country and what is your expectation in terms of business in Brazil?
Crane Payment Innovations is not just gaming. We currently sell a great deal in Brazil annually with our Retail and Financial Services divisions. Cash Code is one of the many brands that we maintain in our product portfolio, but we do know its importance in the Brazilian market to its time. We think on several alternatives, but everything will depend on how national the market will be. The more slots are imported, the greater our market share will be with our top product, which is the "SC Advance", the undisputed leader in the worldwide slot market. If, however, it is a "made in Brazil" market, especially with bingo machines, the Cash Code products and others that we can offer will be something we have to consider.

GMB - How will Crane and its brands interact with Brazilian manufacturers of videobingo machines?
Crane already knows and maintains good business contacts with all major manufacturers, as well as potential operators. We have a distributor for the areas in which we sell and we have a complete logistic structure in Brazil, as well as sales and technical service in Porto Alegre and São Paulo.

GMB - Are all products ready for Brazilian currency, the Real?
Yes, we have the Real integrated into all our coin holders and products.

GMB - Faced with such a promising market, how does your company intend to operate in the market? Will they have distributors or intend to set up an office in the country?
The market and the law will dictate the best way to move forward.

GMB - Any other detail you’d like to highlight in the company's performance or in the Brazilian market?
We are anxious because we know of the potential that this market will represent not only for Crane and the gaming industry as a whole, but especially for Brazil, which will be immensely benefited by thousands of jobs and a great source of tax revenue.

Source: Exclusive GMB