Alejandro Ortiz started in the gaming business in 1995, when he reinvented the Bingo machine and presented it in a revolutionary concept to the industry, transforming it into a profitable and requested game. Before the new millennium, it was already a pioneer in the industry. Today, Ortiz Gaming is one of the largest multinational companies in the market that covers all of North America, Europe, parts of Latin America and Asia. The firm offers some of the best products on the market, from physical machines to mobile platforms, always with new experiences for players.
The Ortiz Group is now betting strongly on the growth of its Interactive division, an area that is increasing its importance within the company with a focus on innovation and the adaptation of products to current market demands.
Proof of this is the success of Triple Mobi. “It was a pleasant surprise, the high demand from our customers for ‘fited for mobile’ products meant that our company could, in the short term, bring yet another innovation to the market,” assures Ortiz.
But an interview today with one of the leaders of the gaming industry worldwide could not start without mentioning the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis and its effects. Before the first question, Alejandro Ortiz wanted to send a statement to the market full of strength and optimism:
“It is a time to look for alternatives and encourage new ideas, to reinvent ourselves! We would like to send a message of optimism to everyone in the industry, to our customers, employees, suppliers and friends around the world who in one way or another are together with us facing this difficult time for everyone. The Ortiz group hopes that soon we can all be meeting again, sharing our achievements with all those in the industry and continuing to bring joy and entertainment through our products.”
GMB - How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your company's work and results?
Alejandro Ortiz - We are experiencing an odd moment in human history. It is a very delicate period, in which the vast majority of countries have adopted total quarantine, and we have a future full of challenges. There are many adversities today and we are working to maintain productivity in times of home office.
Adapting to the new form of internal relationship of our employees, where technology has made us even closer, is necessary. The concern about keeping jobs is our main objective at this moment; we continue with the constant and well-known excellence in the attention to our customers and using technology to our advantage.
As an industry analyst in general, what do you see for the future of the market after the pandemic? A rise in online gaming and a drop in land-based segment? Will a new global industry be born?
We are in full swing in the development of new products, both in the land-based area and in the interactive part. New opportunities and innovations will be born in these new times.
We are preparing to increasingly bring entertainment and joy to our customers.
The gradual opening and the decrease in the number of people will certainly be a way to reinvent ourselves as an industry, maintaining the entertainment offer with due security. However, in the opening of the markets, the physical area will have a great initial difficulty, but it will be momentary, and the activity will return with more strength than in the past, as the search for entertainment will increase. It will be up to businessmen to find the best way for them to return in as little time as possible.
The search for entertainment will continue and grow even more, because the relationship with work will no longer be the same, there will be changes and expansion of remote work. People will have more time, and consequently will look for forms of entertainment. For our part, we will be ready to offer new forms of entertainment for our industry.
How do you see the growth of Ortiz Gaming's interactive division in recent times? Especially with Triple Mobi, which revolutionized the way of playing bingo on a smartphone.
The group's Interactive division has seen significant growth in last years, but in recent weeks there has been exponential growth. We have invested in new forms and types of games to increase our product offering. Triple Mobi was a pleasant surprise, the high demand from our customers for ‘fited for mobile’ products meant that our company could, in a short term, bring another innovation to the market.
What other projects can we expect in this area, that with the events we are going through, becomes even more important within the company?
Certainly, the Group's development area will play a fundamental role, we will remain strong and with the clear objective of focusing on innovation, we will seek to develop and foster opportunities, as has been done over the years.
As a Brazilian and because of Ortiz Gaming's origins, we cannot fail to ask you about this market. How, do you see the return of the activity to the country? Is it surprising that over the years, Brazil continues to lose the chance to generate resources and jobs with gambling?
The legalization of games in Brazil has been effectively discussed for some time, we believe and hope that the government's agenda can contemplate a deeper debate of the activity this year. Job creation should be a priority for any government, especially in this unique moment that we are living with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are sure that the legalization of our activity in Brazil would bring a significant increase in new jobs in the very short term. Not to mention the generation of taxes on the activity that can contribute a lot on the social sector by promoting public health and safety, for example.
From the information we received, President Jair Bolsonaro could endorse the installation of casinos in resorts, but not the return of bingos and other activities. How do you think the opening of the market should be?
We have to look for and mirror ourselves in countries where regulation is broader, with clear rules and a lot of transparency. Thus, companies can feel secure in making important investments in Brazil.
The government has a great opportunity to do the right thing, using legal models that work in other countries, adapt them to the reality of Brazil, listen to the industry in its various segments, so that they are part of this process. It should not give advantages to certain segments to the detriment of others. Brazil is huge, with incredible potential and there is room for everyone.
Thousands of jobs are expected to be created, generating an important production chain for the country. In my view, we should have legislation that values competition over monopoly.
With Brazilian DNA, Ortiz Gaming has a lot to do with the national market. Is this a competitive advantage against other players who have never operated in Brazil?
We believe that in opening the market, we really have an advantage because we have this DNA. In addition, we have extensive knowledge of the market, both in products and, mainly, in operationalization. We know each region, each state, each city; we have always known how to analyze and understand the Brazilian public and we work hard to have the best products for Brazil. We are sure that efficiency and professionalism will be decisive factors in the possible reopening of the market. The challenges will be great for any company and certainly the competitive environment should prevail, making the most prepared companies stand out.
What are the company's plans to continue innovating and gaining more market in 2020 and 2021?
The world is constantly evolving, and consequently, our industry also follows this process. Our company has always remained at the forefront during these years. The strong investment in technology has led our group to launch products that become a reference in the market for their characteristics and mainly for the results obtained. The speed in identifying and reacting to the evolution of the markets, will be fundamental for the sustainable growth of our group in the coming years.
Source: Exclusive Games Magazine Brasil
