The first day of the Gaming Executive Summit LatAm (GES) 2011 has wrapped up at the Marriott in Panama City, Panama. Not surprisingly, the focus of the pre-conference workshop day was on the latest developments in the Latin American market.
According to reports from the gaming conference floor, there was a much better turnout for the pre-conference workshops than anyone had expected. Over 60 delegates representing Europe and the Americas were on hand to learn more about the regulatory landscape of the US and Latin America.
European operators in attendance included Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and Betfair, while the team from the Americas featured Video Gaming Technologies, Hollywood Entertainment, and IGT. Key Latin delegates included the Lotteria National de Beneficencia, as well as Francisco Javier Leiva Vega, Superintendente of Chilean-based Superintendencia De Casinos De Juego. The pre-conference workshop’s audience saw online operators outnumbering their land based delegates by a noticeable margin, possibly because a good number were looking for new payments services.
James Kilsby from Gambling Compliance kicked off the day with a spirited presentation and discussion reviewing the Latin 
American market as a whole, with more detailed insights into Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. With the help of Drew Couto of consulting firm Coutu & Associates, Kilsby also reviewed the latest legislative moves and hurdles in the US.
The big takeaways of the day’s presentations were that the Latin Markets are still evolving and therefore a bit of a gamble, but a worthwhile gamble. It’s a great opportunity to make a name for your brand but you better have your payment processing in place before you hit the beach.
But all workshops and no play makes Jack a dull boy. As workshop day wound down, most of the delegates enjoyed some cocktails at the JW Marriott, then moved to a reception at a nearby hotel penthouse where Global Gaming Labs played hosts for the evening. The GGL party also attracted several high profile Panamanian celebrities, including boxing legend Roberto Duran. Despite the champ being in attendance, the delegates weren’t ready to say “No Más!” as they’ll return tomorrow for another great day at the 2011 Gaming Executive Summit LatAm.
