"Being part of PGS 2022 gives the opportunity to be seen in the best showcase, amid a real reactivation process"

Rubén Solórzano, general manager of the Affiliated Marketing Group (AMG) and one of the organizers of the upcoming Peru Gaming Show (PGS), highlighted the importance that this event will have for the reactivation of the land-based and online gaming industry.

In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, the businessman stated that PGS 2022 -to be held on June 15-16 at the Jockey Convention Center, in the Surco district of Lima- will be, for the different brands present, "the opportunity to be seen in the best showcase, within the framework of a real reactivation process."

What novelties can we expect from this new edition of the tradeshow compared to the previous one?

The main novelty in PGS 2022 is the change of authority in the General Directorate of Casinos and Slot Machines. Mr. Manuel San Roman, after more than 15 years of uninterrupted work in that direction, left his duties and gave way to Mr. Eduardo Sevilla Echevarría. He is a lawyer with extensive experience in the public sector, having served as national superintendent of the National Superintendence of Migration, general manager of Conatur Peru, and general director of Tourism, among other functions.

Another important new feature in this 19th edition is the fact that the exhibition area has doubled in size to more than 5,000 m2. Likewise, the presence of new brands at the event is an indicator that speaks volumes about PGS's popularity and the search for opportunities in the region.

The gap between one event and the other is of only six months. What measures have been taken so that this does not affect the expectations of exhibitors and visitors? What role does the return to the traditional dates of June play in this regard?

We have always sustained that the online entertainment activity in the gaming industry has never been dormant, it has always been waiting for a new awakening after a period of forced inactivity. That is why PGS 2021, which took place last December, was the beginning and the first step for the reencounter and, thereafter, made us look toward the future in search of reactivation. In this sense, it was clear to us that in PGS 2021 the expectations of the players were to see the dynamics that the sector would take and, consequently, recover the traditional networking into a new normalcy.

Nowadays nothing could justify waiting or wasting more time: PGS 2022 will thus be the real thermometer that will measure the temperature of what is to come. To return to June, the traditional month for PGS, is simply a return to order, with great respect for those who trust in our organization and in the most important fair in the region. To return to the traditional month is to think of the exhibitor, prestigious visitors, and the public in general so that they will mark in their calendar the coming of PGS as a special date.

Last December's edition was the first to be held after the pandemic shutdown. What lessons did you learn from that process and how do you plan to apply them in June? Will you give a greater place or emphasis to any particular industry segments, for example, to reflect current trends such as digital technologies?

The main lesson we learned from the 18th edition in December 2021 was one of trust, identity, and solidarity. We never lost hope in the relaunching of the activity. The reunion represented joy and enormous expectations that everything would return to the way it was before. Having shown our roots in the sector in which we operate allows the interaction between one and the other actor to work perfectly, seeking shared benefits. Although the critical period of the pandemic is passing, this crisis allowed us to walk with protocols and multiple cares to safeguard human life. In June, thanks to this experience, we will have millimetric management in this sense.

PGS is an open event for all segments of the industry. For us, all of them are the most important thing we have and are key to our success. It is true that, in a new generational era, the whirlwind of change makes one line of business, one segment of business displace another. But all of them, in the end, contribute to the diversification and strengthening of the sector. It is clear that virtual games, plagued by new technologies, are emerging as the new trend for the benefit of the new generations. Online games, sports betting, eSports, cryptocurrencies, and digital means of payment, are novelties that come with force, sure to fill spaces and replace those systems that will eventually be left behind.

What new resources or tools will this edition of PGS offer to exhibitors and/or visitors?

The organization will provide exhibitors with all the facilities to guarantee an excellent presentation, from the supply of Internet, energy, structures, advice to obtain legal information, import of products in definitive form and/or temporary admission, among others. Since sanitary protocols are still in force, visitors will have the necessary elements to comply with said regulations.   

Will there be any first-time brands at PGS 2022 or have they all participated in previous editions?

There are definitely many debutant brands to whom we extend our public thanks. Among them we can mention Mancala Gaming, Technamin, Feral, SOFTSWISS, Conspaid, BSW, Timerbet, Dogital Sport Tech, Skilrock, Instafilido. To all of them, we say welcome to PGS 2022.  

It is known that the last edition exceeded your expectations in terms of attendance. How would you define the profile of exhibitors and visitors for this edition? Is there already an approximate number of confirmed visitors?

Absolutely. When we made the decision to make PGS 2021 a reality, in the midst of a health crisis with very rigid protocols, we did so with the certainty that we would have a positive response from a sector in which it was urgent and necessary to meet again. The results were absolutely extraordinary. From that moment on, the in-person events in the region have been taking place to everyone's satisfaction.

As we have said above, the sector, the gaming industry, will always bet on remaining in force, it will bet on winning. Therefore, being present and being part of PGS 2022 is the opportunity to be seen in the best showcase within the framework of a real reactivation process.

Eduardo Sevilla Echevarría, new gaming regulator in Peru.

The event will include the attendance of Peruvian regulator Eduardo Sevilla as one of the keynote speakers at the opening, in addition to prominent regional associations. What impact do you expect this fair to have in the midst of very significant legislative discussions for the sector, such as those taking place right now in Peru and other countries in the region, including Chile and Brazil?

Mr. Eduardo Sevilla, the new gaming regulator in Peru, has shown to be fully committed to the sector and we are confident that he will look for alternatives to support it in the reactivation process. During his short term in office, he has achieved the approval of the bill that will regulate sports betting and online gaming in the Economy Committee of the Congress of the Republic [of Peru]. Likewise, the Ministry of Economy has already given its approval. Afterward, the bill will surely pass to another instance and then it will be referred to Congress again.

The real possibility for online gaming and sports betting to be regulated by law is great news for Peru and other regions where this issue is already being discussed at the Executive or government level. The impact in Peru will be great because it will be added to the regulation of in-person gaming, allowing for a fully integrated market. Peru is considered to have the greatest maturity and potential in the Latin American region, as far as the gaming sector is concerned.