[LIVE] Welcome to Day 1 of SiGMA Americas Digital

Join us today at 2pm CET for the second day of SiGMA Americas Digital. We're broadcasting in Spanish, English, and Portuguese!

Thanks for tuning in everyone - we're back tomorrow same time. 

Will gambling legislation help lift Brazil out of economic strife? A divided response here.

Did you miss our panel focussing on how Peru is faring during Covid-19? Catch up here.

As you know, pandemic has hit Brasil very hard. Economically, the country is moving ahead, It's a struggle of course, the economy is going down, but it's at least the agenda has a micro economic agenda. And the reforms are going ahead without any significant bumps. Things are progressing, the regulation is progressing. We had a milestone last week with the presidential decree formalising how the regulation would take place.  - who's going to take charge. This is a very clear and an unknown process that's going to take place.  - Andre Gelfi, Managing Partner, Suaposta.

I know we're discussing M&A here, but it's also important to know that one thing that both operators and also financial investors are looking at, is always have a local, lets say a local partner, even if it's just a minority, because it's really important to understand the region. - Cristina Romero, Partner, Loyra Firm.

Looking at our client profile we are seeing a hedging position really against Europe and possibly Asia, and a choice between Africa, the US and LatAm coming into play. There are some large markets there for the taking, if you can understand them well enough in partner locally. So I, I think you have some clients waiting in the wings, others that have already positioned themselves very well. 

So early adopters in the market always do well. And I think there are a slew of both operators, B2B providers and investors who are watching and waiting. And I think the watching and the waiting is largely about how profitable and successful they could make a market entry into one of those Latin jurisdictions. - Susan Breen, Partner, Mischon de Reya.

Small things make a difference. Every company who comes to work in Latin America has to pay attention to the details. - Fernando Garita, Head of Business Dev at Betcris, Costa Rica

The results are in - do you agree with the outcome? Let us know in the live chat!

What are the challenges facing the Mexican markets? Relive some of the best moments from the panel here.

Find out what SiGMA has planned for the LatAm markets in 2021 by visiting our events page here.

The situation today is interesting. What will happen when the main tournaments restart - the Bundesliga, the Spanish League, the Champions League? - I think business will take a dynamic turn. We acquired a new role with more focus online and I think business has been developing interestingly in Peru and in many other countries. - Lorenzo Johnson.

The article on Focus Chile is up! Read it here.

I, as a deeply liberal person, believe however, that in the case of gambling, regulation is essential as long as it is open. I think it is important as an opportunity for the country, an opportunity for the jurisdiction, and an economic opportunity  in the context of a pandemic where it is necessary to revitalise the economy and obtain tax revenues as we understand the concerns physical casinos are facing to preserve their activity and try to access the online world. - Cristina Romero, Partner, Loyra firm.

Regulations do not create a market, so as the saying goes, "order what is already working" - Cristhian Vargas, Business Development Manager, Latamwin.

Make sure you get your vote in before the polls close!

Catch with all the best moments from the panel Focus Panama: Competitive or unexplored market? here.

For the case of our market, Argentinian market, I think that the reality of having the capital and the province going through a regulatory process of their own is probably a bigger incentive than Covid-19 itself. - Victor Aranada

It is not the licence that’s the main issue, the primary challenge occurs as a result of our constitutional and regulatory differences. - Victor Arias, Vice President of Pragmatic Play, Latin America.

In most of our jurisdictions in Latin America, somehow the online gaming licence is married with a face-to-face gaming licence. - Karen Marcela Sierra-Hughes, Attorney at Gaming Laboratories International.

Did you enjoy Focus Brazil?  Read the article in full here!

 We are greatly concerned by the regulator in not creating jabuticaba, in following international standards, and in creating regulations that work. We see the regulator opening up to dialogue; receiving operators; wanting to understand the market; wanting to do something that works. As an industry, we have to take advantage of this space that exists that is not very common for the realities in Brazilian. So take advantage of this space that exists and really be present. - Luiz Felipe Maia. 

Today we have two legal projects that are ready to be voted on by the plenary of both the Senate and the Deputies Chamber.  And we as an Institute defend the legalisation of all modalities, all verticals. 

There is no point in Brazil legalising only integrated resorts with casinos and leaving all other modalities in hiding and illegality.

I think this is an extremely important step, although I believe that we started off  on the wrong foot because regulated markets were matured first, and we then legalised and regulated online gambling. Here in Brazil we started off by initially legalising sports betting and leaving all other modalities in the margins.  - Magnho Jose, President at the Brazilian Institute of Legal Gaming Brazil.