GMB - What is your assessment of the 2018 edition of BgC?
Sergio Jardim - My assessment is good. We had a very important support of the companies, we saw the crowded area with exhibitors and more people than the previous year. We have heard from them and from the sponsors that they are satisfied, met many people, made contacts and has business to come to fruition in the near future. So we're excited about the event.
With regard to the discussions held during the conference, what is the biggest message BgC 2018 left to those present?
Several topics were discussed. I think the main message we always try to give is to show how things happen in other countries where gaming works successfully. Of course they have problems, as we have, they have gone through the same phase that we are passing to approve the law, but, I think it is interesting to be able to hear that experiences. Bringing the testimonies of people from the USA, Europe, and various Latin American countries, helps to understand that the challenges are common and the problems too. Therefore, the opportunities are good because it is positive to avoid making the same mistakes that others have made; mainly from places that are similar to Brazil.
Some of the topics most discussed among the speakers, especially Brazilians, is the question of the union between modalities. Do you think this is the biggest barrier for the industry to achieve legalization?
I think this would help a lot because what we are seeing today is that different modalities, such as bingos, casinos and online, are making contact with the authorities in Brasilia and selling their fish very well, alias, nobody sells their fish better than themselves. But each one speaks about his sector, and it is difficult for the government and for the authorities to have an overview of the industry when it does not go together, it goes separately making its campaigns and showing only its benefits. I think working more together, not only the authorities, but also public opinion, would be more positive for the industry.
And what would be the best way to achieve this union? Create a new entity, bet on a person or a group to lead the industry?
Maybe I'm not the best person to say that, but I think the difficulty ends up helping to make a marriage happen. I do not know the ideal way for this to happen. There are some associations, such as lotteries and bingo, which help because they bring together a group of people, but we have to make sure that all groups can work together at some point. I do not know the best way, but the difficulty is a great friend at this time because it ends up causing options and alternatives to come together for working together.
This year's BGC edition had a new format in the presentation of the lectures with the introduction of the Quiet Conference in some moments. What is your assessment of this new system?
I think everything can be improved. We are following what the world is doing in other sectors and even in our activity in other countries, so we follow the trends of what seems to be the best and most modern. Everything must be evaluated and should be improved for next year. We have to remember that the public that is here, which is mostly from Latin America, behaves differently from the European, which is different from the Asian, so what goes well in one place sometimes goes well in another but with some adaptations. We have to be open to this and I think we will be able to progress along with what is most modern and bringing this to our Brazilian and Latin American culture.
Can we expect more news like this for the next BgC? What are the plans for 2019?
We intend to do BGC next year and will probably be in June. This year’s event only happened in April because in June we have the World Cup and it would not be prudent to do together with it, because it would prevent some professionals from the sector from coming to Brazil. So we chose to do it in April, but we'll probably do it in June next year.
I think our goal remains the same; while we have a discussion of the legislation we have to bring people here to prepare them for a future market. What we saw here were suppliers of products, services and technology for the most varied gaming modes. The more our business operators have contact with them, the more they will be ready for when the activity is legalized. So that's our goal. Besides the discussions and analysis inside the conference room, we always aim to give an outside space, where we have the booths, where the future gamig entrepreneur in Brazil can have contact with the most modern in the world, which is what companies that have been with us showed this year.
Source: Exclusive GMB
