Victor Arias: “Personalization and interactivity will continue to be main features this year”

Last month, Barcelona was the venue for the new edition of ICE, in its first showcase outside London. From the 20th to the 22nd, the main players of the gaming industry gathered in a historic event that broke attendance records.

Reflecting on the best moments of the summit, Yogonet had an exclusive interview with Victor Arias, VP of Latam operations at Arrise powering Pragmatic Play. In the interview, the executive shared his main impressions of what he experienced in Barcelona, as well as the company's plans for the rest of the year.

What is your assessment of the latest edition of ICE Barcelona, an event that this year left behind its traditional venue in London and managed to attract a record number of visitors and exhibiting companies?  

As you know, ICE has become the must-attend event for everyone in this industry, so we start every year with the ICE date booked. We can't afford to miss the global event that kicks off every year.

When the change of venue was announced it was a surprise for everyone because London was already the classic meeting place. To think of ICE was to think of London, however, I found the arrival in Barcelona very positive. As it usually happens with this event, it caught everyone's attention and we were able to talk with many colleagues and friends.

The possibilities offered by ICE, the dynamics of an event of this magnitude, and the quality of everything we see there are always impressive. Although we already know what to expect from this event, year after year it surprises us. That is unique, so it is experienced with great enthusiasm within Pragmatic Play because it is a fair that allows us to make an exhibition of great proportions and connect in a very special way with visitors.

Which of the products presented by the company stood out the most at the event and what was the reception from the customers who visited your stand?

The products that stood out the most? I am not exaggerating if I tell you that all of them had an incredible level of prominence. As I mentioned before, ICE gives us the possibility to make a huge exhibition and that is fundamental for Pragmatic Play because the offer is very wide.

There were sectors dedicated to each product vertical, with specific scenarios, and dynamics that involved the public and large-scale demonstrations. The Pragmatic Play booth was an exclusive environment. It was full of people all the time and the feedback from everyone is invaluable because it shows us the superiority of this company.

However, I would like to mention the presentation of two titles, which generated a lot of interest. This year, big releases are coming and, at ICE, we were able to see spaces dedicated to two of them that we know will meet all expectations. One is Fortune Roulette, launched just a few days ago, at the end of January, and the other is Money Time, a Live Casino game show, which has everything to be a new favorite of the brand and will be launched later on.

With this event, the industry starts the year 2025. What trends do you consider, from what you saw at the event, will be the ones that will mark the pulse of the gaming sector this year, and what are the main challenges you identify?

ICE gave us a clear picture of what is coming, and we are more than ready to continue taking entertainment to the next level. We understand that personalization and interactivity will continue to be protagonists this year; users are looking for quality entertainment that adjusts to their preferences and operators are betting heavily on Pragmatic Play to have an offer that responds to these trends.

The company has expanded its global presence significantly, and with it comes a key challenge: maintaining consistency in the value proposition, while adapting to markets with very different dynamics. It is not just a matter of launching attractive content or constantly innovating, but of making sure that each new step reflects the essence of the brand and strengthens the relationship with operators and players. This ability to expand without losing clarity of message and solid execution is one of the strategic challenges we face today.

What can we expect for the rest of the year in terms of presentations? Will we see a similar strategy to the one we saw last year, with the Pragmatic Play Experience?

As we announced a few days ago, this year, we are going for more, keeping the essence of what Pragmatic Play Experience was during 2024, but raising the proposal to continue focusing on what characterizes Pragmatic Play: innovation. Thus, we are launching a new cycle, now under the concept of 'Experiences beyond Olympus'.

Since we have been actively working in Latin America, we have focused on offering something different, on making an event much more than a date on the calendar, and the results have been surprising. We observed the need to generate other types of environments, to promote spaces not only for business conversations but also for relaxed moments, reinforcing our commitment to generate bonds of friendship, beyond the merely commercial.

And last year I would say that it was crucial to convince us of what we already knew: people go after experiences, to feel, to live moments that leave us with memories and, fundamentally, that make us want to come back. That is essential for us: that when someone comes to the Pragmatic Play stand, sees the movement on social networks, wants to know more, and chooses to continue accompanying the tour under a striking aesthetic, with the best infrastructure and a narrative that combines the classic with the futuristic.

The concept for 2025 proposes to transcend the conventional, taking presentations and activations to a higher level, with new dynamics that merge the digital and the physical, reflecting the constant evolution of this industry. I'm really excited about what's to come, and I look forward to seeing you all being part of the Pragmatic Play universe.