• 2016 July

General Director of DLV Peru, transnational slot manufacturer, shares with Casino magazine his impression of national sector and of his cooperation with local operators.

Formalization of the sector allowed to put in order the casino and slot machine market as well as push for measures such as homologation of equipment and implementation of Unified Real-Time Control System which made the market more transparent and attractive for investments. New policies motivated more transnational manufacturers and operators to establish business in Peru. Currently, some of these brands have offices in Lima and exclusive providers for the local market and other parts of Latin America. DLV, a company of Latvian origin, was one of the brands that several years ago decided to invest in the market. Maximo Leyva, general director of the company in Peru, tells us that it was hard in the beginning; nevertheless, his team managed to consolidate in the market due to concerted efforts and DLV’s experience in other Latin American countries. The executive shared with Casino magazine his impression of the Peruvian market and its strong points. As well as spoke briefly about their start in the country.

— Tell us what was the start for a manufacturer like DLV on the Peruvian market?

Any business, and gaming business is no exception, involves certain risks, especially if its executives want to expand. When the markets of Russia and Ukraine shut down we urgently needed to find other market outlets and it so happened that we had close acquaintances from Peru, also very experienced businessmen in gaming and aware of the situation in the country, and so was conceived the idea of a joint venture - DLV Peru. We make no secret of the fact that in the beginning it was quite difficult for us, considering our brand was unfamiliar to Peruvian operators and, quite naturally, not everybody wanted to take the risk and try out new products. Nevertheless, the quality of the product and our flexibility in terms of cooperation, as well as a very positive working experience in several countries of Latin America had their effect, and strategically and persistently we were gaining our market share.

— What, in your opinion, are current attractions of the Peruvian market for foreign companies who want to invest in the country?

We always mention in our interviews that the main advantage of the market is its being regulated. The fact that not only there is a government entity in charge of the sector, but that this entity is constantly evolving together with the industry is a very good indicator for those who want to start working in Peru. For example, we know that at the moment Mincetur is drafting a law which would regulate online betting and it evidences that, whatever gaming form there exists in the country, providers, operators and players will always be protected through legislation and will understand what and how should be done in order to render or receive a service. Another important factor is the potential of the market, as the country is enormous and the market share that can be gained is also quite considerable. Finally, the third factor is the confidence in that the product will always be in demand: local people adore gaming and, with a good product and its updates, success is guaranteed.

— Which DLV products were well accepted by Peruvian operators?

It is difficult to single out one product. All our products were accepted equally well. Obviously, in some venues our slot machines do better in other venues a bit worse, but, generally, performance results are quite high. Currently there are 3 types of cabinets available in Peru – DTFT, STD, HD, and another one – EXCEL, recently imported into the country and successfully presented at PGS, is already being installed across the country. Multigame line with progressive jackpot system - Jewel Jackpot, Gauya Quest, Dragon Jackpot is also very popular and has had the four-level Vollinstars recently added to it, while Lab Creatures, another jackpot system with 3 progressive levels which was also presented at PGS 2016, is next in line to be introduced in the country.

- In your expansion plans, which countries are you targeting?

We are ready to work in any country as long as gaming is allowed in the country and there is a clear understanding of how to conduct business there. In our case, much depends on local partners and reliable customers. Currently, we continue expanding on those markets where we’ve been working until now: Peru, Costa Rica, Columbia, Suriname, Dominican Republic and many others, including in other world regions.