Offering a level of expertise that few can match in LatAm, WA.Technology has firmly entrenched itself as one of the continent’s most sought-after providers. In our latest exclusive interview, we speak with WA.Technology’s Axel Antillon, Regional Director LatAm, to get the latest on market developments, as well as the level of in-depth personalization required for operators to become a true winner with local players. 

For those that might not be overly familiar with WA. Technology, can you give us a brief introduction of who you are as a company?

Of course! WA. Technology is by far one of LatAm’s most established providers, with an incredibly long history of success on the continent. With our team’s 20+ years of experience here, it’s safe to say that we are now viewed as one of the “go-to” providers for the full spectrum of iGaming solutions required for any operator to be a true market leader. Our years of experience have allowed us to become fully entrenched with some of LatAm’s biggest operators and have a thorough understanding of the unique dynamics within each market.

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We’re very fortunate that our team consists of top-level professionals across just about all LatAm’s major markets, each of whom have extensive experience in the B2B gambling space. This is something that I believe puts us in an incredibly strong position to not only understand the unique demands of each country, but also allows us to offer the best possible turnkey solutions for our partners across the region. Our long history of success and localised delivery here is a testament to that.

Costa Rica and Mexico are two of WA. Technology’s first LatAm markets. How important have these two been for your journey on the continent?

Costa Rica is ultimately where our journey started. But it is actually Mexico which has proved to be our major platform for expansion in the early years of WA. Technology. And there are a number of reasons for that.

It goes without saying that sports, and particularly gambling, are very much ingrained into Mexican culture. The market has been regulated since 1947, meaning that players are well-versed in gambling products – they know what they like, what they don’t like, and what they expect from operators. From an operator perspective, this ultimately means you don’t have to spend time educating bettors on the different types of products available to them.

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If you look at the market’s projections over the next five years, revenue is expected to hit $3.09bn (USD) by 2029, which is very promising. Data from Zendesk Consultancy also suggests that 4.2/10 Mexicans regularly take part in gambling activities – if you compare this to the wider Latin American region, the average is 3.5. This shows just how popular gambling is across Mexico.

The market proved to be a fantastic platform for our expansion further south, with major successes in Brazil and Ecuador following soon after. Peru and Colombia will definitely be next for us – but more on that later.

Given you’re now one of the continent’s most sought-after providers, what’s your current take on market trends and growth outside of Brazil? Which countries offer the best examples of regulation done correctly?

If we start with Mexico, we have seen high volumes of activity across both lottery and casino. Both verticals have proved to be incredibly popular with players. Another trend we have noticed is the increasing adoption of mobile. Of course, this has always been prevalent in the major cities – but that’s now expanding to rural areas at pace, and we’re capitalising on this trend majorly as the balance shifts from retail. Of course, this preference for technology-first experiences makes Mexico an incredibly attractive proposition for operators – and one that we’re leading the way on.

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In Peru, the younger, tech-savvier audience is also showing a strong preference for mobile betting compared to retail and desktop. That’s an interesting insight for us given the previous dominance of retail, but that’s changing fast. Looking at demographics, the market also has a fast-growing middle-class which is growing year-on-year, many of whom are not only familiar with the range of betting products at their disposal but also enjoy traditional sports, casino and esports, making this a great market for anyone looking to expand their Latin American footprint.

From a B2B perspective, Peru’s regulatory framework is also very favourable, – and we really commend the government’s regulatory authorities. Introduced in 2023, the legislation gives a solid base for people to invest in the market and for operators to enter and paves the way for a successful long-term operation.

Ecuador’s regulation is again very conducive to good business. The liberal approach allows operators to offer a vast range of betting products, which has really diminished the black market, where players cannot be protected. While the country has flown under the radar for many, it’s definitely one to watch.

Next up is Colombia, which was the first market to regulate in Latin America and has undergone tremendous growth since online was regulated by ColJuegos in 2016. The richness of its festive culture, alongside the acceptance of gambling, makes it arguably a shining example of a market done right. Colombia is a country already accustomed to bingo and lotteries, but still with a lot of growth projection on the strategic level. Live casino is also becoming particularly popular here – with ColJuegos estimating that it was already taking 8% of the market back in 2023.

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Peru and Mexico have both been incredibly popular markets in the news recently. What would you say are your main USPs here?

In Mexico, one of our offices is located in Reforma – an area that is very central in Mexico City. Our legal team for this market has extensive knowledge of the local regulations and are able to help operators to obtain a licence from Secretaría de Gobernación (The Ministry of Interior).

We are also able to support our partners when it comes to integrations, including payment gateways, which really sets us apart from the crowd. In addition, we belong to AIEJA, the Gambling Association in Mexico, which helps connect operators to various different suppliers. On top of that, we also have a deep understanding of player preferences and the culture. We know how to reach new audiences; what players want and how best to achieve that too. Localisation is key to our strategy in every LatAm market, and Mexico is no exception.

In Peru, we are currently in the process of receiving our certifications. We are about to conclude the vendor registration, which is expected very soon, which will open the doors for new growth at WA. Technology.

This market has been on our radar for many years now. We have been researching it extensively to fully understand how we can gain a competitive edge and how we can best serve our partners. From an operator perspective, this market is high on the agenda for many domestic and international companies already – in fact, the regulator received 145 licence applications during the pre-registration phase alone!

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Peru’s gaming industry has also been growing at a double-digit rate over the last five years, with casino leading the way, followed by sports betting and lottery. Market data suggests that revenue for the country’s online gambling markets could hit US$314.8m this year, with that figure expected to grow to $403.5m by 2028. If the market continues to grow at this pace, the opportunity for WA. Technology will be huge!

It’s safe to say that Peru will undoubtedly be one of our main target markets over the next few years alongside Brazil and Colombia, where we’re also in the process of gaining certification. We’re very excited to see what these markets hold for us!

And what are your USPs for both Ecuador and Costa Rica – given we see less media attention on these markets?

In a word, localisation. This is absolutely essential for any market, but particularly in Latin America where each individual jurisdiction is so unique.

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In both Costa Rica and Ecuador, we have been closely monitoring regulatory developments and changes in player behaviours – research that has allowed us to support our own commercial initiatives and help shape our future partnerships with operators in the market. We also offer localised payment solutions, which is incredibly important. There’s not much point in offering a product if your players can’t deposit or withdraw their winnings, right?

We also offer bespoke betting markets for operators across both of these markets. I don’t just mean tweaking the language to suit the local dialect. We provide everything that operators need to engage with players across these markets – be it markets on local football leagues, or products tailored to sports that are popular within that particular market.

This goes beyond sports betting too. On the casino side, we offer a tailor-made solution to operators so they can effectively meet the needs of their player base. Casino games that might be popular in Mexico might not gain the same traction in Costa Rica, for example. Again, this is really where the retail heritage comes into play – and it’s absolutely essential to understand how the unique retail legacy in each market has shaped slot preferences for each country. In a competitive environment of fine margins, edges like these mean we can provide the tools for our operator partners to quickly gain an edge.

Speaking of player preferences, we’ve seen a shift towards the online space in recent years. How do you keep up with changing trends?

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As we’ve already covered, you have to remember that many of these markets started off solely focused on the brick-and-mortar space. Players would visit casinos and betting shops, and that’s how they engaged with gambling since the 1990s. Now, however, we have a mix of both online and retail with many of the land-based players now transitioning away from the more social-based area of retail to mobile betting that players can enjoy from home, on the commute or anywhere in between.

To capitalize on this, and after extensive research into what these players enjoyed from their land-based experiences, we asked our casino team to integrate our brick-and-mortar offer into the online space. This has worked incredibly well because it allows players to recognise their favourite products and games and enjoy them from the comfort of their own home.

Last but not least, as a major takeaway for our readers – how can we showcase that you are the best provider when it comes to understanding the market?

We have already touched upon localisation, as that’s a major point for us that no outside platform provider can match. We are demonstrating this by offering local currencies, payment service providers, languages, local betting markets and even the creation of “specials” – betting markets that have been developed particularly for one jurisdiction. For example, we have our own dedicated teams and models to price up the likes of Mexican wrestling, the famous “luchadores” – which again, very few outsiders can match in detail like us!

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It also goes without saying that our WA.Platform is also the most comprehensive, solid platform that is available to any operator looking to make a name for themselves on the continent. We offer both scalable and customisable solutions, meaning that operators can continue to drive future growth as they continue to expand their international footprint.