Dirk Camilleri
Image: iGP

Freshly back from a successful product launch in Brazil and getting ready for CasinoBeats Summit Malta, Dirk Camilleri, Chief Product Officer at iGP is relishing the impact that Tropicana, iGP’s newly released Latin America focused white label sportsbook and casino template has already created.

CasinoBeats got the lowdown from Camilleri on how the casino tech specialist is getting ambitious operators Ready to Launch in Latin America and what the localised template is bringing to the market.

CasinoBeats: Tell us about Ready to Launch. What does this mean for operators in Latin America?

Dirk Camilleri: Ready to Launch is our initiative to get operators on board with the iGP philosophy for success.

This philosophy came from the founders – igaming experts whose frustration with platform limitations impelled them to offer a better solution. Even today, the driving force to save operators millions from lost uptime is always behind the thinking.

iGP is ready and we’ve found an industry where operators are still woefully underserved by their suppliers. So, the message is about asking the operator: Are you ready to launch? Do you have the right technology, the right people and the right partners in place to break through successfully?

Most operators are not in this position: iGP aims to change this and support them in driving their brands forward to reach their ambitions – especially across LatAm.

CB What challenges have you experienced in Latin America and how does this inform your approach to the region? 

DC: Every new market offers a mix of specific challenges that rely on effective localisation and deep understanding of local infrastructure and social norms. iGP’s process is to develop genuine partnerships rather than client/supplier relationships as this delivers shared learning and insights to enable working towards the same goal.

The challenges currently specific to LatAm, from payment processing or content accessibility, can be resolved more efficiently for operators with a stable and scalable platform and localised products.

Our great tech, stable back-end and robust stack all aligned with our expertise mean that we can offer a genuinely viable alternative to many other providers. This has delivered ambitious projects for us such as iGaming Deck, our aggregator solution and our LatAm specific white label front-end template, Tropicana. 

CB: Can you tell us more about Tropicana? What does it bring to LATAM operators?

DC: Official launch date is slated for late Q2, but visitors and delegates to the iGP stand at SiGMA Americas, São Paulo, were treated to pre launch demos of this highly effective new template. Tropicana is fully localised for the Brazilian market, with iterations for other LatAm countries, and so delivers a significant improvement on existing offerings. It is designed to enable ambitious operators to cross-sell sportsbook and casino to engage with a new audience across Latin America – and beyond. 

The usual pattern is for casinos to host sportsbook offerings as an alternative betting option, but LatAm generally and Brazil especially are unique in that the reverse is true. Tropicana is designed to lead with a sportsbook and introduce a casino experience. This different direction leans into the existing culture whilst actively promoting a new opportunity for players, and a potentially new customer base alongside extending and enhancing existing players’ time online. 

CB: How receptive are LatAm operators to new technologies and innovation? What does this mean for players?

DC: Over the last two years, we have focused on our redevelopment for the LatAm market. The iGP core platform is known for absolute reliability, scalability and efficient integrations all enabling genuine innovation to flourish. The operators with whom we work are fantastically receptive to this innovation across new technologies – their reaction to iGaming Deck and Tropicana for example has been significant. 

LatAm is a highly entrepreneurial environment and speed to market is essential to stay ahead of the competition. However, understanding who your audience is and what they expect, their preferences, pain points, and what drives their behaviour will ensure content resonates, engages and ultimately retains players. Forward looking operators who want to offer the best in localised content, gamification, VR, crypto or NFTs will be the winners.

iGaming Deck, iGP’s games aggregator launched in 2023, offers state of the art technology, cloud hosting and a scalable infrastructure, plus access to 10,000 online slot and casino games from global content providers. We have also recently signed with local providers in order to widen the scope of our localised offering, again giving players experiences that resonate.

CB: What potential does iGP foresee in the Latin American region as a whole?

DC: Without doubt, LatAm is booming and the potential is enormous if managed well.

Progress will be affected by various factors but scalability will be a significant challenge. We’ve invested in developing solutions that we believe will drive success in the region and we’re working with our existing operators on their expansion plans to support them wherever they want to go. 

Peru – with 145 licence applications in one month alone is looking exciting. However, with GGR in Brazil projected to reach $3.23 billion by 2027, alongside anticipation that it will lead the way for regulation that will impact other LatAm countries’ choices, Brazil currently holds a unique position in the iGaming landscape. Overall, if you can succeed in Brazil, in the way iGP is doing, you are setting up successful future opportunities in every LatAm country that wants to embrace iGaming.

To find out more about what iGP can do for your iGaming ambitions, meet us at Casino Beats Summit, Malta, Stand C10 or visit iGP.