GMB - Tell us about your new position in the company and what functions you will have within the Stanleybet Group
Antonio Salord Domínguez - I am really happy to be part of the Stanleybet Group, one of the leading companies in the gaming sector. My role is to expand the brand in the region, mainly to seek new business opportunities and alliances with operators in LatAm by offering our products and services available within the Magellan Robotech portfolio.
What do you think you can contribute with to the company based on your knowledge of the Latin American market?
During the last 4 years as an operator I have seen the growth of the sports betting market and how the needs have been changing during these years. I believe that knowing the needs of operators and players is the key to understand how the sector works in the region and to make the right decisions to establish successful strategies. Having been working as an operator gives you a better perspective of what the market needs.
Which countries in the region do you see more advanced in online gaming and which are more delayed?
I believe that Colombia and Brazil are one step ahead, however countries like Peru and Argentina, due to their potential, will be very close to them. Regulated countries are more attractive to companies in the sector, because once the rules of the gaming sector have been established it is easier to make the decision to enter a specific market. In the end, the regulations are the ones that establishes the times in each country.
Argentina chose a business model of limited concessions for online gaming while Brazil is currently analyzing a free licensing one ... which do you think is the ideal?
In my opinion it is difficult to please all parties involved; I mean regulators, operators and suppliers. Each of the parties will always defend their interests. However, I believe that the rules of gaming should give the option to any operator, as long as they meet minimum requirements that protect the player. Regulators should keep in mind that tax burdens cannot be up to European countries, this must be according to the reality in our region.
In your experience, do you have a profile of the Brazilian bettor?
The profile is very similar to the rest of the countries in the region, usually the Latin players are very fan of their teams, let's say that the emotional factor plays an important role in the predictions of the bettors.
In Latin America we are in a phase of educating the player. As the market grows, they gain experience and knowledge, becoming more experts in the field.
Magellan Robotech is a B2B service company ... where will your management be focused, especially in Brazil? What expectation does Stanleybet have from Brazil?
Magellan Robotech mainly provides products and services for sports betting and virtual games, is the technology arm of the Stanleybet Group.
We are targeting the entire Latin American region, however we consider that Brazil due to its potential will be one of the main countries in the region to develop the business. I am
convinced that Brazil will be one of the most successful markets for Magellan Robotech in the region.
Once the market becomes regulated, could the company establish a fixed team in Brazil?
In principle our base of operations in the region is located in Peru; however we don’t rule out in the future being able to have a team in Brazil. Everything will depend on how the market is developing and the needs of the operators.
Have you noticed the wave of betting sites that invaded Brazil with sponsorships in the local football segment? What do you think about this?
I am not surprised. It is a very common marketing action in Europe. A clear example is the Premier League in England or La Liga in Spain, where most clubs have some type of sponsorship with a bookmaker.
These sponsorships are actions to position the brand in the target market, however these actions are not always the most profitable and over time they can generate controversies within society as is happening in Spain or Italy.
Does your company have a clear strategy and objectives to expand in Latin America? It may be not so easy with so different countries and regulations to think on the region as a unique place, which makes everything more complex…
In my opinion, the key is to be able to offer a product that suits the needs of operators and regulators in any country in the region.
At Magellan Robotech we have a team of more than 80 people working from our headquarters in Liverpool, developing our products and focused on meeting the needs of each operator in the region.
What can we expect from Magellan for the rest of 2019?
We will expand in the region in order to replicate the success we are having in Europe with our products. One of our key ones to expand in the region is the virtual football game Trident, which consists of a tournament with simultaneous events and where the player can follow all the matches on the same screen, having also spectacular graphics.
Trident is an innovative product with a lot of potential and meets the needs of the players. It is available for the retail and online channel.
Source: Exclusivo GMB
