During the latest edition of SBC Summit Latinoamerica, Yogonet held an exclusive interview with Alejandro Vélez, General Manager of VirtualSoft and an integral part of the group formed by DoradoBet's operations, whose growth in the region has been significant in recent years. During the talk, Velez highlighted the expansion of the group's operations in Peru, the importance of the emerging Brazilian online market, and the consolidation of VirtualSoft as a leading product in the gaming industry.
Analyzing the company's activity in 2024, it can be said that for your group it has been a very important year of growth. What are your thoughts?
This year Copa America took place, and this meant that the company, through its commercial activities in the different operations and countries where we are present, was able to attract new users and use new strategies, and all this translated into better operating results. We hope that the year ends correctly, without the adrenaline of last year that was seen at the end as unusual, due to award matters.
Looking ahead to 2025, we hope that we will knock it out of the park. This growth is part of an ongoing process, and we intend to continue consolidating the project that we have been carrying out with great strength for more than five years.
Which markets in Latin America do you see as the most attractive for the future?
We have a very strong presence in Peru and the company's intention is to continue strengthening our position in this market. It is no secret that we all want to be in Brazil. There is a regulatory issue to be resolved there, some operators are already operating with licenses, and others are in the process. I think we have to wait to be able to gain clarity on this issue and expand in such a competitive market as the Brazilian one.
And of course, as a third option, everyone has an American dream, and that is to achieve a presence in the United States. As a result of regulation, each state and its gaming volumes are growing significantly. We have to be very aware of what is happening there; it is a market worth monitoring, while we seek to continue strengthening our operations in South and Central America.
In regards to the North American market, when it comes to reaching the player, you probably have a very different strategy from what you propose in Latin America.
Each country is very different, and the key is to try to interpret and understand what is the best way to reach each player. All jurisdictions behave differently and you have to work with that in mind.
The group has the operations of DoradoBet, but in parallel has achieved great growth within the industry through VirtualSoft. What can you tell us about this unit?
VirtualSoft has been a very important channel to allow our operations to achieve their objectives. It is a fundamental piece in this project that we have been carrying out throughout this time. Every day we add things to it, always looking for a better performance and it is, in short, a fundamental piece in our plan.
Finally, from the regions where you do not yet have a presence, such as Argentina or Brazil, in which ones do you have the highest expectations of being able to enter?
Brazil, as I mentioned before, is a market we all want to be in. And Argentina is an interesting market: with the new Government, we hear very positive comments... The exchange rate is becoming more attractive, although there are issues with the potential regulatory changes that make us very attentive.
I think we have to be alert to what is happening there, and Argentina always has a special plus that is based on its players. They are of high value, and some brands are getting very good results, so we must be attentive and wait for any possibility of entering this market.