2020 has seen slots and table game provider Habanero firmly target its growth in the Latin American market with various deals with operators announced already this year.
Habanero secured its entry into the LatAm market earlier this year, confirming its first game launch in the Colombian market through its agreement with Codere. The new development meant that players in the region gained access to Habanero’s content.
Pushing forward, Habanero continued to strengthen its presence in the LatAm market as it announced deals with Betjuego, Salsa Technology and LatamWin.
SlotBeats managed to talk exclusively to Vera Motto, Business Development Executive at Habanero, on the rapid expansion of Habanero across Latin America, as well as potential obstacles the company faces and the future markets the company looks to enter.
SlotBeats: Can you give us a bit of background as to Habanero’s expansion into the LatAm market?
Vera Motto: Our plans for LatAm began over a year ago, where, following our fantastic success in Europe – we were looking to continue with our record-breaking growth.
As well as my own cultural ties, the region was a no-brainer for us – a young dynamic population, a real love for getting that big win, and of course, a place where gaming has already been tried and tested through the land-based vertical.
After extensive groundwork researching potential local partnerships and compliance requirements, we began visiting local trade shows and summits, where we felt that Colombia was the best location for our first show.
Not only is it the region’s most mature regulated market; but the feedback from our industry friends when it comes to the regulator, ColJuegos, was fantastic.
The reception we had from our first attendance at Gaming Colombia from the local gaming community was nothing short of phenomenal, and it was an absolute pleasure to showcase what we had to offer. The rest, as they say, is history.
We’ve since gone from strength to strength, with high profile market entries across Colombia and Mexico, and plenty more in the pipeline. It’s amazing to think how far we’ve come since launching here, and we’ve still got a long way to go when it comes to introducing the region to the wonderful world of Habanero.
SB: Which partners are you currently working with in Latin America?
VM: With our sights firmly set on becoming one of LatAm’s most popular gaming suppliers, we’ve already signed a wealth of partnerships with leading continental operator groups in recent months, including Codere, Salsa Technologies and Betjuego.
Having selected a prominent regional aggregation partner in Salsa Technologies, we’ll be able to extend our reach even further, and I’m looking forward to seeing our working relationship develop.
In line with that, I expect regulatory developments to continue opening new doors, and we look forward to building on our impressive progress to date with a raft of new partnerships and market entries.
When circumstances safely allow, we will also be showcasing our engaging portfolio at major LatAm trade shows – and I can’t wait to get our feet back on the ground there!
SB: What’s the appetite for slots like across Latin America?
VM: Despite being on the market for over a year, I’m still blown away by its potential. While the online gaming market is still in its infancy, it’s safe to say that the continent’s players love getting in on the betting action.
Land-based gaming has certainly provided an excellent foundation for the online gaming industry to build upon; and from what we’ve seen, players require very little introduction to the world of online slots.
We’ve seen this reflected in what’s been popular with our catalogue, and while we pride ourselves in offering a fresh, tailored approach to the region, there’s plenty of the core slot themes that translate from land-based over to your portfolio, and we’ve been able to reap the rewards.
That said, innovative new products have proven to be a real hit, with our new bumper tournaments performing particularly strongly in Mexico.
“Land-based will persevere through this crisis, and they have a loyal customer base.”
SB: Is there a resistance in players shifting to online slots from land-based?
VM: I don’t think so. Land-based will persevere through this crisis, and they have a loyal customer base. At the same time, online gaming offers something new, as well as the convenience that comes with it, giving players the chance to get in on the action at home, or even on the go.
However, tied in with that, we’re certainly seeing a shift to online from a regulatory standpoint – which says a lot for the continent’s outlook for online.
After the successful conclusion of the regulatory process in the City of Buenos Aires in February, Panama followed a few weeks later with its latest online regulation (particularly accentuated by the current crisis), ensuring that many local jurisdictions are going to be ready for business far sooner than anticipated.
SB: Do you see players preference differ in styles of game compared to Europe?
VM: To answer this, we’d first need to know which country we’re talking about. LatAm is as diverse as it is broad, and there are certainly preferences we see among LatAm players that would not be so great in, say, European markets.
For instance, certain table games are extremely popular in certain regions, often proving far more engaging to players than slots. Players are also used to lower RTP rates, which are more common in retail, so the shift to online certainly doesn’t come with any accustomed change.
However, when we talk about the younger generation of players, the situation is certainly different. Localised content is no longer in demand – today’s demographic considers themselves part of an international community.
A game’s popularity is now based on recommendations from streaming platforms such as YouTube or social networks – which are becoming increasingly influential.
Players broadcast their games live, communicate with viewers and share the experience from across the world – with player preferences no longer shaped by their regional location, but rather the trends they see emerging across the digital space, which has no borders.
SB: Do you believe in the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach when it comes to the LatAm market?
VM: Definitely not! Each LatAm country has its own specific requirements which need to be addressed on an individual basis. Going beyond that, each country is a melting pot of cultures and habits that mean that certain provinces are very different to their neighbours.
However, as a global supplier, our unique product offering is designed to be enjoyed by players the world over – and we do not believe in tailoring games to local markets. If a game is not good enough to be enjoyed the world over, then it won’t carry the Habanero name.
Having said that, in terms of RTPs, jackpots and marketing tools, this is a different situation. As well as ensuring full jurisdictional compliance, we also work tirelessly with our partners to ensure that what we offer above and beyond the gaming experience is perfectly in line with what they’re looking to deliver to fit regional values.
SB: What have been your key learnings so far?
VM: Our commercial outlook in Latin America is very promising. Although it remains a highly fragmented regulatory environment, I am optimistic that the relevant authorities are willing to regulate gaming soon in the name of safeguarding players and attracting investment.
For LatAm’s market as a whole, I expect huge growth will be cards for the foreseeable future. The example set by Brazil (when it comes online) will be crucial, and I expect to see regulators across the continent looking to emulate the success enjoyed by Colombia and others to go with it.
SB: For future expansion, what markets are you targeting in the region and how will this be impacted by regulatory developments?
VM: With our sights set firmly on the entire region including Central America and the Caribbean, we have closely followed regulatory developments to develop our business plans accordingly.
Colombia is a central focus due to the maturity of the market, with Mexico and Argentina also expected to grow quite dramatically in the next months – making it very interesting for us.
In the long-term, Brazil is the territory likely to attract most interest in terms of new investment, and I certainly hope it will go online sooner than later. In the meantime, we’ll be focusing our energies on expanding our partnerships in Argentina as well as our business development pipeline.
Wherever you find yourself on the continent, we hope to be there soon! From Buenos Aires to the Caribbean Habanero is here to deliver – and we’re looking forward to keeping the momentum going.
