A few days before Peru Gaming Show (PGS), to be held June 15-16, Sebastián Salat, CEO of Zitro, gave Yogonet an exclusive interview in which he anticipates that, despite the company will not participate as an exhibitor in PGS, Zitro will host a private event the day before the tradeshow kicks off, to present its new Glare line to its Peruvian customers.
Furthermore, the CEO reviews his expectations for the Latam market. According to Salat, the objective of the supplier of gaming machines and online casino games is to consolidate itself as a leader in the Peruvian market: “We hope to be among the leading companies in the market, as we already are in other Latin American countries”, he explained.
Could you describe Zitro’s strategy ahead of Peru Gaming Show this year, and in order to meet the demands of the diverse Latin American markets that will be represented in Lima?
We thought it would be a good idea to hold a private event on June 14 to present our GLARE product line to our Peruvian customers, as we did a few months ago in Argentina. We presented so many new products this year, both in terms of cabinets and games, that we needed more time to show them to our customers, which is always difficult in an event shared with other suppliers, and therefore we opted for this formula that allows us to show the fruits of our work in a relaxed and casual atmosphere, without the pressure of tight schedules that our customers have when they visit an industry trade show.
Which are the company’s key goals and expectations for the event?
Our event in Lima comes at the best moment, after having obtained the approvals of the entire GLARE line of cabinets and games from MINCETUR. In addition to this expanded product offering, there is the success that Zitro games are achieving in Peru, which means that our brand is already endorsed by excellent performance. So our expectations are high: based on the results obtained and having the impressive GLARE line, we hope to be among the leading companies in the market, as we already are in other Latin American countries.
Which markets do you target with your presence there? Are there any Latam-tailored developments in the pipeline to gain competitive advantage and differential assets?
We look for ways to make our products known to our customers in the way we consider the best in each market. We chose GAT Expo in Cartagena de Indias for Colombia, we held Zitro Experience Argentina within the framework of SAGSE Latam for the Southern Cone, and, recently, we held Zitro Experience in Mexico. In our opinion, the Peruvian market is extremely important, and for this reason, we believe it is appropriate to hold this private event for operators in the country and other Latin American countries who wish to join us.
Regarding the design of specific products for Latin America, at Zitro we always operate in the same way: we design global products that are adapted to the preferences and demographics of each region. This “Glocal” approach, based on universal concepts complemented by sensitivity to local preferences, is what guarantees the success of our products.
Zitro has recently added additional resources for Latam. What added value and expanded capabilities does this decision bring? Could you further describe your current investments in local teams and products, and the way you plan to reflect this in Lima?
Zitro’s growth in the region requires the addition of talent to strengthen the commercial, operations, and technical teams in our regional offices. We have added personnel in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru, and we continue to add more resources to keep up with commercial demand. Zitro’s commitment to the Peruvian market is shown by the recent approval of the extensive GLARE line that I previously mentioned, as well as by our communication efforts, of which the June 14 event is a good example.
As in-person industry events keep coming back, Zitro withdrew from a major gathering like ICE 2022, but it has attended other events afterward, even organizing two exclusive events during SAGSE week in Buenos Aires. Not long after this, Zitro secured a deal with local operator Boldt’s three major casinos. What takeaways and learnings have you acquired in Buenos Aires that could be complemented and reflected in Lima? What’s your assessment of this in-person comeback so far, and what impact is it having on your regional business strategies and outlooks?
The dates chosen for ICE 2022 were not ideal due to their proximity to the Easter holidays, not to mention the fact that Europe was coming out of the Omicron wave, which made international travel very complex. That is why we opted for the FIJMA show in Madrid in March, which was a spectacular opportunity to introduce the GLARE line in Europe.
This was followed by events in Colombia and Argentina, which resulted in an avalanche of orders from operators in both countries, confirming that Zitro is now a must-have gaming machine supplier for any casino operator in the region. We intend to show Peruvian customers our value proposition so that they also come to the same conclusion, and allow us to work together with them to rebuild and grow our industry.
Bonanza Group of Lima has recently added Zitro Digital’s Video Bingo and Video Slots library to its online gaming brand. Which role and space will Zitro Digital have in Lima? Also in Peru, Diversia Entertainment Group’s Casino Palacio Royal Chiclayo became the first Peruvian casino to add Zitro’s 88 Link game. What synergies do you plan to drive between both offline and online brands and the different business segments they address? How could the Lima event boost your local strategies and goals in that sense?
At Zitro Digital we aim to make the range of games we offer as successful and profitable in their digital format for our online customers as our machines are for land-based casino operators. We believe that land-based casinos and online casinos are not two different worlds, but two distinct distribution channels, which require us as suppliers to offer equally spectacular experiences for both sectors. Anticipating the growth that digital gaming will have in Peru after its regulation, which we hope will not be delayed, we will also showcase our range of digital games for online casinos at our private event in Lima on June 14.
Which other events will you be attending this year?
We recently held our great Zitro Experience event in Mexico, which is already considered one of the most relevant events in the gaming industry in Latin America, and which will precede our private product presentation of our new line of GLARE cabinets in Peru, to respond to the growing demand in this market. In the last quarter of the year, Zitro will participate once again in G2E, in Las Vegas, given the importance for Zitro to develop its presence in the North American markets, and Zitro Digital will attend the SBC Summit Barcelona and the SiGMA fair in Malta, closing the year with BEGE Expo in Bulgaria.
