The sports betting, online gaming and affiliate industry met for the last time in this 2023 edition of BiS SiGMA Americas. The Transamerica Expo Center, located in São Paulo, received an impressive public in a year of expressive growth for the biggest event of the segment in South America.
With an expanded structure and agenda, the conference audience can enjoy a grandiose fair with dozens of exhibiting brands. In addition, BiS SiGMA Americas provided more than 50 hours of premium content between lectures, seminars and dynamics divided into two auditoriums.
The iGaming Brazil portal had its own stand during all days of the event, in order to receive and interact with participants, as well as covering the main events of these three days. Below, check out the most relevant topics covered in the last panels.
Panel: Alternative payment methods for the Brazilian market
João Canhada (Foxbit), Matheus Medeiros (FuTokes), Bernardo Srur (ABCripto) and Sean Prescott (VeroWay) were the guest speakers for the first activity on the last day.
Bernardo Srur started by presenting an overview of the crypto market in the country, which is being regulated. “The crypto industry is experiencing a great moment in Brazil and in the world”.
João Canhada presented Foxbit and how its solutions can help the market. “It is very important and cool to follow all this evolution in the national market. Crypto as a means of payment is an excellent option, because you actually become global, with the use of Bitcoin for example. Crypto has factors that go far beyond the question financial”.
Matheus Medeiros, in turn, assessed the present and future scenario of alternative means of payment. “Today there is basically a tripod, with benches, flags and machines. It is a model with fees and that we all spend a lot to maintain”.
Medeiros explained how tokens are difficult to price and that this is one of the biggest challenges in the crypto market in the long term. According to the FuTokes representative, the tokens are still in the process of evolution and that there are several issues to be resolved, such as their use as an engagement and commercial product”.
Sean Prescott delved into the industry’s security concerns, addressing current traditional banking models and how cryptography can be ideal for financial integrity. He also mentioned that taking care of the data is essential for the segment, as well as the imposition of adequate regulations.
Security
Canhada shared his vision of developing crypto as a service and how he can spread this type of technology in Brazil. “The main point of crypto as a service is that it takes the hassle out of it.”
“Banks are still very limited when it comes to using crypto as a means of payment. But this is a natural evolution of what is yet to come in the market”, he continued.
As for Prescott, the underline technology is the most important. “To avoid situations of fraud, security and custody data can be used”, pondering that “one of the biggest difficulties of most technologies is to make them simple and easy to use”.
Lecture: São Paulo (the city that is worth betting on)
Michael Sotelo Cerqueira (SP Negócios) began by citing data and information that prove the growth of São Paulo and how the city offers an extremely favorable scenario for investments.
“The city offers a whole range of innovation, technology and very strong infrastructure. We really have potential for this industry. Unlike many other cities, São Paulo has taken several decisions to promote the sector”.
Cerqueira also mentioned the main municipal attractions for the sports betting industry, such as the ISS, ample banknote issuing capacity and an extremely diverse population with great space for exploration.
He explained SP Negócios’ role in helping investors and companies in the city, in addition to the large workforce the city provides.
Panel: Payment methods as a competitive differential for online game operators
Thiago Tobias (Eightroom), Rafael Brunacci (CoinsPaid), Leonardo Chaves (OKTO), Cristiano Maschio (Qesh.ai) and Leonardo Baptista (Pay4fun) formed the roundtable that dealt with payment methods for the betting sector.
Cristiano Maschio listed the rules and norms to be followed for a platform to have security and integrity in the sector. “The means of payment in Brazil has a regulation, and it needs to be followed”.
“The competitive differential is not in the PIX, but in the way in which it is processed” said Maschio about one of the most famous means of payment in Brazil and which already leads among betting operations in Brazil.
Leonardo Chaves preferred to focus on the user’s point of view. “We have to think from the user’s point of view… So that we can’t lose [the user’s] purchase intention. If I want to provide payment solutions, I must think about the different types of customers”.
And projected the scenario in the long term. “We have to follow and record all the information in this scenario. As a means of payment, we are always looking to the future issue. The future always has many innovations”.
“The PIX helped the market reach the point it has reached today. We must always be attentive and prepared for these new solutions. We have to be complementary, easy and always very safe”, added Chaves.
For Rafael Brunacci, the Central Bank of Brazil will have a very big challenge in relation to the use of alternative means of payment. “A new generation is coming, attentive to alternative means of payment. This will be a challenge for the Central Bank and the means of payment themselves”.
For Brunacci, Brazil is moving towards a regulated and safe segment. “I think that the normal path is for payment methods to offer new alternatives. This will only bring much more functionality to payment platforms. Whoever knows how to surf this wave quickly, efficiently and following the norms and rules, will be a company of emphasis”.
Development and security
Thiago Tobias reinforced that it is essential to develop and disseminate technologies in the sector. Leonardo Baptista agreed with this point and said: “For me, crypto is the next PIX. I think that strong [crypto] regulation is coming, with a competent team, the technological part is already well developed. a very big prejudice with the cryptos”.
Maschio continued the subject, emphasizing that the Brazilian market needs to be prepared. “There is still a lot to happen with crypto, it is the next currency…but it needs to be very ’round’ here in [Brazil]”.
Brunacci explained how this preparation to operate with crypto is happening on national soil. “There is a latent issue that is forcing the market, which are the players and operators”, but remembering that “a market is never prepared for an innovation like this. It is necessary to understand how the technology works, the profile of the users and adjust this to the scenario “.
Lecture: PCRM Marketing in iGaming, a true love story
Pini Yakuel began by highlighting Optimove’s work and partnerships in Brazil and around the world. “We believe that brands that prioritize their customers build real loyalty.”
Yakuel explained what CRM Marketing is and how it can help build a loyal, growing, 1:1 customer base. In addition, he cited the great differences between the betting sector and other segments, emphasizing that iGaming is a paradise of opportunities to be explored.
“We have multiple persona options where data and CRM can work in iGaming. CRM Marketing is a secret weapon for rapid growth.” To close the presentation, Yakuel listed the necessary steps to use the CRM in an appropriate and effective way, which generates unique results and differentials.
AIBC Americas
The AIBC (Artificial Intelligence Blockchain and Cryptocurrency) Americas period at BiS SiGMA Americas included a sequence of short talks for investors, developers and enthusiasts in AI (artificial intelligence), blockchain and other cutting-edge fields.
The purpose of this event was to provide an opportunity for attendees to network, learn and share ideas with some of the most influential figures in the industry.
Panel: Competitive differentials for the operator when choosing an integrator as a partner
Eliane Nunes (Salsa Technology), Laila Mintas (PlayEngine), Jesus Rafael Campos (Betconnection), Lenildo Nogueira (Weebet), Matheus Bicalho (Cactus) and Rafael Arantes da Silva (Zep.bet) participated in the last panel and discussed the points that operators should consider when choosing their partners.
Eliane Nunes opened the conversation by pointing out that the sector works to promote a healthy environment among integrators and operators.
In his speech, Matheus Bicalho considered the responsibility of providers to maintain direct and transparent communication. “We as providers have the responsibility to carry out clear communication and position ourselves as a partner”.
“When you do an analysis to be an operator you must think ‘I’m going to sell a product’, and that product must be good”, added Bicalho.
Rafael Arantes pointed out that the Brazilian market is quite peculiar. “We always give importance to a national solution and it’s no wonder, our market is very peculiar. The behavior of consumption in Brazil, as with any product, is different from anywhere in the world”.
Lenildo Nogueira continued this theme. “Adapting to the reality of the Brazilian market and providing adequate communication to this audience is fundamental”, adding on the partnership criteria. “The operator needs to have the greatest number of games and options, but whenever possible, have a local partner”.
Jesus Rafael Campos, in turn, shared the perspective of international integrators. “We make associations with local companies so that we can understand the reality of each region and understand better”.
Laila Mintas took advantage of her space to detail PlayEngine’s performance, as well as mentioning the levels of global operation and how the company is analyzing technology issues before leaving for the issue of localization in Brazil. “Brazil is a great market to be explored. You see a lot of international operators that have their eyes on Brazil”.
Competition level
For Nogueira, it is important to understand your partner’s capabilities and potential, such as available games, reach, portfolio. “Sometimes there are people who are anxious to get the platform up and running quickly. But it is important to take it easy, to plan and look for a partner with a good track record. More important than haste is to analyze your partner”.
Thus, Rafael Arantes explained the need to have a very well-adjusted platform. “If you don’t have a well-adjusted platform, you go broke in two months. And that [an adjusted platform] owes a lot to the partner. Support is also essential in this market”.
Bicalho followed the same line. “The operator needs to understand the logic of the [partner’s] product he is acquiring. The operator needs to have a partner that understands the market”.
Laila recognized that competitiveness is growing every day and details make all the difference. “We are seeing the level of market competition increasing more and more”.
Campos corroborated this point when talking about the level of national competition and how the new generation is very demanding, both in terms of technology, location and alternatives. “It’s not just technology anymore, it’s the entire provider team.”
But Eliane Nunes warned that it is vitally important to maintain the Brazilian essence. “We talk a lot about the issue of location and the Brazilian market learned a lot from the international scenarios. But we don’t give up on one point: we need to have our way. There is no market like Brazil”, he concluded.
Cerimônia de encerramento
One of those responsible for opening the BiS SiGMA Americas, Alessandro Valente closed the historic 2023 edition. According to Valente, this year’s event surpassed previous editions in numbers of companies and participants.
He made a point of highlighting the relevance of the SiGMA partnership, in addition to thanking all the media companies for their coverage, which make a difference in the dissemination of this sector. “It was really fantastic”, ending the activities with all members of the organization team on stage.
