During his visit to the recent edition of the Global Gaming Expo, Edgar Lenzi, representative of gaming developer NGT Interactive, in an exclusive interview for Yogonet, analyzed the legal situation of the Brazilian market, its imminent regulation of sports betting and highlighted the company’s growth at a local and regional level.
The company was present at G2E Las Vegas, what is your assessment of this year’s event, and how did you experience this recent edition, which saw a remarkable return to normalcy after the pandemic?
It was great to be back at G2E representing NGT after a two-year hiatus. I had the great pleasure to participate again in the event and see that it continues to be as strong as ever, being a referent not only in America but all over the world.
The largest suppliers and operators were present at G2E, which shows that the post-pandemic market is back in full force, sustaining the trend that we can recover the losses suffered during the pandemic.
Edgar Lenzi (middle), with Andre Schuartz and John de Wit of Copacabana Games, at G2E Las Vegas.
How are you positioned in Latin America, and what are your expectations for the rest of the year?
At the moment, NGT is focused on operations in Brazil, with sports betting about to be regulated, and the reactivation of state lotteries in several states.
We have already obtained the first license in Maranhão, and we are working with other states to obtain licenses and start operating.
As for Latin America, NGT already has several clients using its systems or products. With the regulation of the Peruvian and Chilean sports betting markets under discussion, we believe that 2023 will be Latin America’s year.
How has the opening of several already regulated online markets in the region impacted the company’s business plan?
In the B2B segment, the company grew a lot during the pandemic and it continues to grow today.
The NGT Sports platform was developed with a focus on the Latin American market, so it has been very well accepted in this region. Feedback from end users about our experience and stability has been very positive. With this feedback, we can only aspire to grow more and more.
Given your relationship with the Brazilian market, what do you expect will happen in terms of regulation in the coming months, and what plans does the company have particularly for this major market?
We are awaiting the regulation of sports betting, which has a deadline of December 2022. We believe that this will happen and that by the second half of 2023 we will be operating at the federal level with a license based on Law 13,756.
Meanwhile, the states are evaluating various possibilities, both in fixed odds (sports betting) and other lottery products, which should open up a huge market at a local level. Depending on the election results, we believe that casino, bingo, and gaming projects may be approved, which would consolidate the Brazilian market as the largest in Latin America.
With all these verticals legalized and regulated, we will see excellent results for the country, suppliers, and operators.
In which other countries do you expect to expand your presence or growth?
In Latin America, we have projects in Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico. We are also targeting the Asian market, especially the Philippines. But first, we are waiting for the legal and regulatory issues in Brazil to be defined by the end of the year.
