With iGB Live! just around the corner, experienced industry lawyer Witoldo Hendrich Junior, a partner at the payment solutions company Online IPS, who heads the team focused on the Brazilian market that the company is presenting at the show, describes iGB Live! as an event that provides a ‘front row seat for regulatory updates of the industry’ and an invaluable opportunity to connect with the game-changers who are ‘doing things differently’.
A university post-graduate lecturer in tax law and a frequent speaker at major events related to payment methods and gambling, he explained: “Given the ever-changing and growing nature of the gaming sector, it is essential to stay updated on regulations globally and be familiar with the constant changes taking place in the industry. iGB Live! allows us to stay on top of the changes and helps us provide the expertise our merchants demand from us as their payment service provider. Taking part in the event enables us to keep our finger on the pulse of what is going on in the sector, what is up and coming, what trends we are seeing, and how the sector is behaving. The show provides a plethora of resources for attendees that further assist in the growth of the sector.“
An advocate of the power of partnerships, he stated: “We also hope to meet potential new partners from having a presence at iGB Live! as collaboration is encouraged in this industry. With constant changes in the space, new challenges, and increased regulatory pressures, it is important to work together. The better we’re all informed, the better we can all do business. As the organizers of iGB Live! said themselves, the goal is to Connect. Converse. Convert.”
Online IPS has prioritized the U.S., Europe, and Latin America as its three key territories. “Though we are based in the U.S., we previously did not offer processing solutions in the region. This is something that has now changed, and it is a service we are eager to share and offer to potential merchants attending iGB Live! Though restricted to a certain degree by independent state and local legislature, we are keen to bring merchants to the market and facilitate their processing in the U.S.
“We recently became the primary entry point into the igaming space, for one of our Tier 1 acquiring bank partners. They are regarded as one of the largest acquirers in the E.U. and we hope to not only help them diversify their merchant portfolio but provide additional acquiring solutions to our existing and new merchants looking to process in Europe.
“Latin America is an igaming market that has not yet matured and shows great promise. Legislation regulating igaming is also very new in LatAm and there are various rules and specifications to abide by in each country that differs from the next. We currently have local offices and teams in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico, with Chile on the horizon to go live in Q1 2023.“
Looking ahead to Amsterdam he confirmed: “We hold iGB Live! in high esteem and view it as being a critical component of the igaming industry. Throughout the year we attend numerous trade events around the world, with iGB Live! being a recurring show we hope continues to be on our roster year after year. The sector certainly missed the in-person experience, evidenced by the number of attendees to conferences post-Covid, as well as the anticipation/eagerness felt throughout to schedule meetings, connect, and get back to business.
“Interacting in person creates a sense of community, connection, and understanding that digital communications technology cannot match. It’s the intangibles that count, like a new connection formed over a drink or a degree of trust established from a friendly conversation and a handshake. As a merchant service provider, we not only place great value in the customer service we provide but also the close relationships we build with partners and merchants, and the return of in-person has helped strengthen this aspect of our business.”
The iGaming expo is set to take place in Amsterdam on July 5-8 and will bring together more than 4,000 industry experts and stakeholders to exchange experiences and empower the business community by building new partnerships.
