Latin America doesn’t exist as a single entity

It’s time to stop talking about Latin America.

For the last few years, it has been endlessly argued through articles, panels and webinars that Latin America is igaming’s next big opportunity. Sure, I don’t disagree with that main point. But I would like to add a caveat that completely changes the way you think about your Latin American strategy.

This isn’t a Latin America opportunity. It’s actually a Brazilian opportunity, a Peruvian opportunity, an Argentinian opportunity (and many more besides). It’s tempting for European-centric gaming businesses to think of the region as a monolithic entity, in a way we simply don’t do with other parts of the world. That not only lacks understanding; it also kills your hopes for success.

Yes, this is an extremely diverse region with unique gaming histories, regulations and player preferences. The landscape is constantly shifting. While a handful of multinational brands are beginning to build a regional footprint, in each market you’ll see a range of local operators continuing to compete well with much larger companies. The reason? They possess a deep understanding of their customers, and they deliver a personal and relevant experience to them. And the markers they serve are increasingly diverse.

Colombia, the region’s most established regulated jurisdiction, continues to go from strength to strength; Argentina’s province-by-province regulatory regime is returning rewards for those who have taken the time to understand where to focus resources; and Mexico, where a strong land-based heritage continues to inform the online space, is also growing impressively.

New markets are coming online, too. In Peru, earlier this year hundreds of operators and suppliers submitted applications for licences to the country’s regulator, Mincetur. And of course Brazil, the continent’s biggest prize and igaming’s most persistent ‘will they, won’t they’ saga, looks finally set for a resolution. Operators active in the market have until 1 January 2025 to secure a licence.

Tools for success

So, what does it take to be competitive across multiple Latam jurisdictions? For me, it comes down to one simple concept: flexibility.

At Hub88, everything we build is designed to empower operators to succeed on a local level – wherever in the world they may be focused on. That’s why we’ve proven so popular with our partners across Latin America; we provide the tools and flexibility for them to tailor their offering in a way others can’t. A few of our recent and upcoming updates are particularly relevant here.

Sometimes, they are small yet significant changes, like the ability to receive your reporting in the native currency of each individual user. Previously, operators have become used to all reporting being converted into a single currency, often euros. But in diverse markets across Latin America, this doesn’t tell the whole story, particularly in those countries suffering high inflation and currency volatility.

We’re really excited by the early feedback we’re receiving from our new, dedicated client area. It offers a range of functions around the idea of centralising all communications with clients to one portal. Ultimately, it is a more efficient way for us to provide the service excellence our partners expect.

We’re also really proud of our upcoming supplier zone. This is an industry-first feature that allows suppliers to see easily digestible distribution insights as well as fully automate promotions and billings. In a region where locally focused content is more important than ever, we’re building the tools to foster deep cooperations between operators and suppliers. That’s a win for both, not to mention the end user who gets a far more relevant experience.

These are additions to what is already one of the industry’s most popular aggregator solutions, particularly for those exploring new opportunities in emerging markets. More than 12,000 games, a powerful and data-rich back-office available via a dedicated mobile app, an easy and efficient payments platform that supports more than 200 fiat and cryptocurrencies, and everything integrated via a simple and single API. This is, of course, all supported in multiple languages, including Spanish and Portuguese.

It’s also the first time Latin America-focused operators have had access to such a powerful platform, and it reflects in the quality of product they are now able to offer to their players.

In a region that is beginning to deliver upon the immense potential it has long promised, staying flexible and thinking locally has never been more important.

About Hub88

Hub88 is an agile integration platform offering a single API for online gaming operations. We currently partner with over 120-plus providers, giving access to many tier-one suppliers while also supporting new studios. Hub88 empowers casino managers to track performance and KPIs in real time and on-the-go via an iOS and Android mobile app. With a powerful back office providing accounting, business intelligence, unified bonuses and free spins function, Hub88 offers a flexible solution to connecting operators with suppliers.

Laura Manzella joined Hub88 as commercial manager – Latam in 2024 to continue to drive sales and success in the rapidly developing market. Following highly successful sales and marketing spells at Novomatic Group, IGT, Zitro and Sportingtech, Manzella joined Yolo Group to work closely with the sales team in Latin America to create cross-selling opportunities in new territories and promote Yolo B2B products across the region.