GMB - How do you evaluate your first time at SAGSE?
Evert Montero - Yes, it was my first time at SAGSE and very pleased, of course, to be in Buenos Aires. It is a very beautiful city, a very interesting fair that gives you the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with many people in the industry, not only entrepreneurs and operators, but of course also regulators.
How do you see the panorama of Argentina and South America in general?
From what I have been able to realize in the exhibitions in which I could participate and in what I have heard by comments, I believe that Argentina, after all this political process, which somehow - although we did not want to - affects all these online betting implementation processes, I think there is an interesting panorama. Of course, it is still a very important market. I see the topic of the City of Buenos Aires very consolidated; I think the regulators have it very clear. There will be many things to discuss and many others to also build with entrepreneurs, but I see a great willingness by the regulator and a great interest because there really is a very good offer, so that the an agreement can be reached and finally exploit the online betting sector.
In this scenario of South American countries, do you feel that Colombia is one of the most advanced markets?
Yes, as everyone knows, we were pioneers in the whole issue of regulation. This has also allowed us to know many of the difficulties that arise along the way, especially when there are new products or gaming offer. One believes that everything is said, and everything is done but that is not true. The same operations or models of other places do not work in each country. Then it is time to implement them, correcting and improving them every day, with things that are typical of each of the regions. So, I think that, although it is true that it was a very interesting regulation, there is much to improve. We are in that process and I think we have advanced a lot. Surely this is an opportunity also for the other countries of Latin America -including all over America-, so that they learn from this experience and improve ours, and, of course, also correct the difficulties that we have had.
Is Brazil a country that could learn something from Colombia on its way to regulating sports betting?
Of course. We, in some way, have been a laboratory in America for the whole online topic. I think that everyone has to look at those who were first, to learn the new and not to make the same mistakes or improve what exists. I believe that Brazil, surely, will have looked and will also be reviewing what is being done in other countries. And Colombia, as the first country that has online regulation, is of course a reference for the region.
From the outside, what does the Brazilian market look like? We, from the inside, see it as a great sleeping giant trying to wake up. Bets were legalized and now we are in a phase of regulation, maybe somewhat slow ...
Yes, of course it is a sleeping giant. I believe it is a very important market for the size of the country, and the level of betting that can be given. Bets were regulated, but not implemented, and it is in the middle of the process yet. And all those are resources that are losing, all that are expectations that are being generated and we hope that Brazil will be able to get this out as soon as possible. One understands that these political changes influence. The legalization was given at the end of the previous government, then a new one arrived and ... it is what happens to us in all countries: while they learn, they lose a lot of time, resources and generate many expectations. We have all the faith that this will come out very soon and I think that the country is working very hard to make it that way.
Did people from the Ministry of Economy consult you at any time or did they meet with you at any fair or event? Did you have the opportunity to talk with them?
Yes, I believe that in all panels, fairs and in these events all countries participate. There, of course, ideas are taken, heard and learned. I think that is part of the wealth and the possibilities that each one has to know the experience of the other, precisely to be able to implement in their country.
We are getting close to the end of the year. If you had to make a balance of Fecoljuegos, which were the main milestones of the year to highlight? Three or four things that you think were the best ones that happened to the entity.
We have had a very hard and convulsed year, because in our country there was an issue that was handled in Congress, so that the collection of exploitation rights was rectified. There we call it the National Development Plan. It is a plan where modifications are made to some laws, and where issues are reviewed to which adjustments must be made, precisely, of a legislative nature. We managed to rectify the issue of charging exploitation rights for casino bets, or "localized", as we call them. And we did it, to our satisfaction. That has left us important possibilities for this sector to be really energized and for this activity to be sustainable over time.
Unfortunately, we have had some legal and opinion differences with the regulator, which have led us to not implement this much more immediately, but rather to go back to some parts of the government, where they have to take some regulatory decrees, both in the Presidency of the Republic, and in the Ministry of Finance. That has delayed the implementation of these achievements with the rectification of the collection of exploitation rights. At the moment that this is ready - that I hope it is at the end of this month of November to have that good news for the sector at Christmas - that sector will be revived and energized, because at this time it is a sector that has been a bit stagnant, precisely, due to the excess of the tax burden.
How do you imagine 2020 for Fecoljuegos and for the gaming sector in Colombia, in general?
Taking forward this issue of the National Development Plan, I think it will be a very productive year for the entire sector. I believe that there will be the possibility of extending the concessions, the number of machines in the establishments, that other machines are replaced and renewed. Then, thus the producers or manufacturers will have a greater demand for gaming elements. And this will strengthen us a lot.
We are very happy, too, that the Federation helped to achieve, in online betting this year, the topic of virtual event bets, which did not exist. And we hope that the other year we can bring up the issue of live casino bets, also online, which at the moment are not regulated and work is being done to regulate them.
I believe that if all these things happen, there will be better economic possibilities for operators, but they will also see large dividends and huge resources for health, which is the final destination that has what is collected from gaming in Colombia.
Source: Exclusive Games Magazine Brasil
