Latin America
Mexican casino industry assembles for V.I.P. Experience 2019
On November 20, key executives and leading casino operators from the Mexican casino industry gathered at the W Hotel in México City for the annual V.I.P. Experience, hosted by the local NOVOMATIC subsidiary NOVOMATIC México. The event has already become a traditional meeting place for customers to join the NOVOMATIC team and get hands-on with the latest novelties presented at G2E in Las Vegas, just a month prior.
The fourth V.I.P. Experience took place on November 20 in Mexico City, in one of the city’s most exclusive hotels, W Hotel. Some 100 guests and leading operators of the Mexican industry were welcomed in a beautifully decorated Book of Ra™-style Egyptian setting to enjoy food and drinks, great company as well as an exclusive presentation of the latest NOVOMATIC product news they may have missed in Las Vegas. Jens Einhaus, NOVOMATIC VP of International Sales, Europe & The Americas and Max Bauer, NOVOMATIC regional VP of Latin America and the Caribbean joined the local Mexican team headed by Thomas Borgstedt, Managing Director and Judith Barrientos, Commercial & Marketing Manager NOVOMATIC México to discuss products and business strategies with the guests.
One of the highlights on display was the THUNDER CASH™ Link featuring the title Empress of the Pyramids™ in the elegant PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43 cabinet. This Linked Progressive guarantees hours of entertainment with thrilling feature gameplay and exciting jackpot thrills. Another title that perfectly blended in with the evening’s Egyptian theme, was Princess of the Nile™, part of NOVOMATIC Americas’ PAYDAY™ Standalone Progressives series, presented in the PANTHERA™ 2.27 cabinet. Also other popular Egyptian titles such as Pyramid Fortunes™ and Goddess Rising™ were on display – as was a selection of titles for the thriving Mexican Bingo segment, including Bruno Bingo™ or the Lucky Lady™ Bingo, presented in the V.I.P. Lounge™ cabinet.
The friendly gathering in a relaxed atmosphere continued into the night, as a DJ filled the room with music and guests enjoyed conversation and cocktails. Several raffles took place with prizes like headphones, Bluetooth speakers, a go pro camera and smart home devices.
Judith Barrientos said: “It is our customers, who really make this event a tradition and a success. We would like to thank them for joining us for this great evening, and also for their trust and support. We saw great interest in the products we brought here, especially in the THUNDER CASH™ Link and the PAYDAY™ Progressives. This kind of product continues to be a big topic in the US, and this is very much reflected in the Mexican market. With our portfolio, we can offer our customers an excellent choice of titles that will certainly inspire their guests – and more is to come in 2020, when NOVOMATIC will celebrate its 40th anniversary…”
About NOVOMATIC:
The NOVOMATIC Group is one of the biggest international producers and operators of gaming technologies and employs more than 30,000 staff worldwide. Founded by entrepreneur Professor Johann F. Graf in 1980, the Group has locations in more than 50 countries and exports high-tech electronic gaming equipment and solutions to more than 70 countries. The Group operates around 255,000 gaming terminals and video lottery terminals (VLTs) in its some 2,100 plus gaming operations as well as via rental concepts.
Through its numerous international subsidiaries, the NOVOMATIC Group is fully active in all segments of the gaming industry and thus offers a diversified Omni-channel product portfolio to its partners and clients around the world. This product range includes land based gaming products and services, management systems and cash management, online/mobile and social gaming solutions as well as lottery and sports betting solutions together with a range of sophisticated ancillary products and services.
Latest News
FIRST and Genius Sports Extend Landmark Data Partnership, Powering Continued Growth

Industry leaders agree new extension to data and streaming partnership that will see FIRST – Best in Sports turbo-charge global growth and boost annual revenues for Genius Sports
FIRST – Best in Sports, the Tier 1 provider of sports betting solutions, and Genius Sports, the leading sports data and technology company, today announce that they have extended their landmark partnership that will see Genius Sports continue to deliver its industry-leading betting data and streaming technology to FIRST – Best in Sports.
As part of the new agreement, FIRST – Best in Sports will distribute Genius Sports data and streaming content to its expanded B2B network and grow the data company’s volume, reach and annual revenues in a major way as it brings partners onstream in Latin America, with Brazil as a major focus.
- FIRST’s growth in Brazil and leading position as a LATAM-focused sportsbook solution will be further enhanced by Genius’s focus in South America.
- This includes coverage of Brazil’s Serie A, Serie B, Campeonato Paulista, Mexico’s Liga MX and the Primera Ligas in Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay.
The deal extension is part of a comprehensive agreement between two companies that are setting industry standards for the speed, accuracy and depth of their online sports betting offerings. The new partnership also sees FIRST become the official betting partner of Genius Sports, with the group set to recommend FIRST – Best in Sports to operators seeking fully-managed sports betting solutions.
Tom Light, CEO of FIRST – Best in Sports, commented: “We have been working with Genius Sports for many years, and I am delighted to be extending and deepening our relationship with such an industry leader. FIRST – Best in Sports and Genius Sports represent the gold standard in their respective fields and the new agreement will enable us to continue growing revenues for Genius Sports as we launch new partners and expand our network. We look forward to providing the most complete and data-rich solution to sports betting operators in the world’s fastest-growing markets.”
Compliance Updates
Esportes da Sorte holds forum on “Integrity in Sports” with Ceará and Náutico

Esportes da Sorte hosted its Match-Fixing Prevention Forum last week at Ceará and Náutico as main sponsor of both clubs. Held in partnership with Sportradar, the initiative is part of a series of in-person workshops, with upcoming sessions planned for Corinthians and Ferroviária.
The project aims to combat illegal practices and reinforce a strong commitment to integrity in sport. Activities were tailored for athletes and members of the technical staff from the men’s and women’s professional teams, as well as the under-20 squads. During the sessions, topics such as the definition of match-fixing, types of fraud, fraudsters’ modus operandi, legal risks, and reputational impacts were covered. Participants were offered practical guidance on how to respond to suspicious approaches.
“This training programme reinforces our commitment to sports integrity and responsible gaming, pillars that guide our actions. We believe education is the best form of prevention, and we want to stand alongside clubs in this joint effort for transparency and the protection of sport,” said Ana Carolina Luna Maçães, Compliance Manager at Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind the Esportes da Sorte brand.
“Ceará takes this topic very seriously. The club is an important player in the fight against match-fixing. We act preventively with regular meetings and have a handbook that addresses the topic with our squad. It is our duty to provide these moments of learning for athletes and technical staff. We live in a time when the integrity of sport is being questioned. In this scenario, actions like this are extremely important,” commented Lucas Drubscky, Football Executive at Ceará.
The sessions were led by Felippe Marchetti, Integrity Partnerships Manager at Sportradar, a global sports technology company and recognized authority in sports integrity. In Brazil, Sportradar partners with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and 17 state federations, monitoring more than 10,000 matches per season. The company recently signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Sports.
“Raising awareness among athletes and teams is one of the most effective ways to protect competitions from manipulation. These workshops are designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to recognize threats and act responsibly. We are proud to support initiatives like this that strengthen the integrity of Brazilian sports,” said Felippe Marchetti.
Latest News
Blokotech unveils Cristian Tonanti as new Casino Partnership Manager

Blokotech, a leading innovator in iGaming software solutions, has appointed Cristian Tonanti as its Casino Partnership Manager. The move strengthens the company’s mission to build technically robust, growth-focused partnerships across Latin America.
Based in Argentina, Tonanti brings an impressive mix of business development knowledge and technical expertise to the company. He has held multiple positions, including Business Development Manager, Broadcast Engineer, and Software Developer – giving him a 360° perspective on both the commercial and technical elements of casino content delivery.
Blokotech Casino Partnership Manager Cristian Tonanti said: “I’m joining Blokotech at an exciting juncture as the company accelerates its next growth stage. I look forward to enhancing our existing casino partnerships, streamlining integrations, and adding new partners that will play a key role in the company’s mission to deliver advanced, localised gaming solutions across Latin America.”
Tonanti will focus on signing and nurturing casino content partnerships, driving new integrations and onboarding game suppliers, and ensuring efficient delivery and performance.
Blokotech Co-Founder and CEO Salvatore Messina commented: “Cristian’s combination of commercial insight and technical fluency makes him the perfect fit. His experience complements our growth plans in the LatAm region, and we’re confident he’ll bring immediate value to our operations.”
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