GMB – What’s your assessment of this year’s BiS SiGMA Americas?
Alessandro Valente – Without a doubt, our event is now fully established. Today, it’s the biggest in Latin America—perhaps only behind Las Vegas, which features all the machinery and indeed has a larger space. Next year, with the possible legalization and regulation of land-based gaming, we expect to grow and become the biggest in the Americas, if not all of Latin America.
Is the idea to expand BiS SiGMA to also include land-based gaming?
It’s still early, as we’re operating on expectations for now. But the plan is in place—if Transamérica allows it. Last year, we requested and secured two extra pavilions for 2025. For 2026, our goal is to expand the event even further.
Beyond the event itself, we have the recent merger of Super Afiliados and Eightroom/Vpag. As CEO of Super Afiliados, what does this new moment mean for the company?
Victor [Maltone] has been a friend for many years—we’ve been toying with the idea since 2015, among many others. We felt now was the right time, given the newly regulated market in Brazil. He brings a lot to the table, and so do I. Combining our expertise results in a strong value proposition for both affiliates and operators. Affiliates will now have greater support, as will operators, especially in areas like compliance, training, and proper professional recruitment. This merger is going to be great—it’s going to work out really well.
How have affiliates and operators reacted to this impactful news?
So far, I’ve only received positive messages—congratulations and curiosity. People want to understand what happened, especially since we were practically competitors. They had an affiliate division, and we, at Super Afiliados, were fully focused on affiliation. I’ve explained that this is a natural evolution.
Are M&A processes becoming the norm in Brazil?
It’s happening all the time—and it’s due to this moment of market consolidation and the overall wave we’re riding. I see it as a natural step to keep the industry more united rather than fragmented.
Will this M&A movement continue? We’ve recently seen the merger between Paag and BS2 Bank. Will there be more?
Definitely. Many players from the financial market—investors, venture capitalists—used to look at our market with some hesitation. Now there’s a clear legal framework. We’re no longer just speculating—we’re in a moment of real security for investors. Now, they’re buying into Brazilian assets, not some foreign speculation. There’s a lot more to come.
Returning to the topic of land-based gaming. BiS SiGMA featured interesting panels, like the one with Alex Pariente from Hard Rock and Senator Irajá. What message did they share with the market regarding expectations around land-based legalization?
I think there were two main themes at the event. First, the issue of Responsible Gaming and compliance in the new regulated market—what needs to be done. Second, the land-based gaming topic, which needs to move from discussion to reality. We can’t afford to fall behind on this. Online gaming has already proven extremely profitable for Brazil. From what I’ve heard—now we have transparency—revenue was around R$1 billion in Q1 2025. That entered the economy, plus another R$2 billion from license fees, with more still to come.
We also can’t ignore job creation and the investments being made by companies opening offices in Brazil—not just operators, but also platform providers, game developers, and tech firms. For instance, Sportradar is expected to hire 20 to 30 people. Now it’s time for land-based casinos. In my view, the sequence was correct: online casinos first, and now, casino resorts.
Source: Exclusive GMB
