• 2016 March
How long have you been doing business in the Caribbean and Central America?
We've been working in the region for about 5 years. Among the first countries where we started doing business were Costa Rica, Belize, Dominican Republic, several years ago Panama was also added to the list.
Which are the best markets in the region today?
Currently this is, first of all, Panama with its gaming legislation and an authority supervising and regulating gaming business which makes the market more desirable for providers, because for many "regulation" means "guarantees". Puerto Rica and Costa Rica are also good gaming markets.
Which are the emerging markets of tomorrow? Which markets are doing less well than previously?
Apart from the already mentioned markets, in general there can be observed a relatively stable situation with sluggish growth. Eventually, all markets little by little, each at its own pace and following the example of their neighbours, are taking steps towards the development and regulation of the industry.
Which products are the most popular in the region?
First and foremost, players are crazy about jackpots and fruit games; if a multigame features no fruit games or is not connected to a progressive, there is a high probability that the machine will be idle most of the time.
What are the player trends in there at the moment?
In such countries as Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and some others we can observe that older models are driven out of the market by newer and more modern ones, the competition is becoming tougher and players - more demanding. Always trendy and not only in Central America and the Caribbean, but also in South America, are bonuses, promotions, and most important - colours, to be taken literally: games, jackpots, machines - everything should be bright, colourful, in a word - inviting.
Is the political environment favourable for the casino industry?
Political environment is hardly ever favourable for the casino industry, considering the negative attitude of authorities towards gaming as such. However, there is no arguing with the will of the people who have the passion for gaming in their blood and the only thing left for the authorities to do is to regulate the industry to protect the player and avoid illegal gaming. Peru and Panama serve as an excellent example for Latin American countries and, hopefully, in due course, all countries of the region will reach their level of legislative development.
How do you think the industry will develop in this region in the next few years?
We think that these markets will see the implementation of a clearer and better organized regulation in the industry, which as a result will have more modern equipment brought to the countries instead of antiquated machines which are currently exported from more advanced markets to such countries of the region as Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras.