Intelligent marketing: The key to unlocking LatAm

It is no secret anymore that Latin America is offering tangible opportunities to gaming operators looking to expand out of the world’s more mature markets, and operators and suppliers in Europe are jostling for space. As we know from the land-based industry, Latin America hosts some of the most passionate gamers around who would welcome the switch to digital platforms if the choice and quality of product were to increase.

The international igaming industry is beginning to open its eyes to the emerging opportunities present in Latin America, with operators and suppliers in Europe’s mature markets jostling for position as new territories edge towards regulation.

Regulatory progress, such as that in Colombia, shows that the region is getting serious – with Peru, Argentina and Brazil already following suit. However, it would be naïve for these operators to believe that rolling out products that have succeeded in Europe or Asia and expecting similar results as they have achieved elsewhere will be enough.

Operators and suppliers alike must be wary of treating the region as one homogenous territory. With an eye on wider strategic planning for the Latin America as a whole, they need to operate on a flexible platform that can cater to the demands of players in different jurisdictions.

Tailored offerings

To integrate successfully, it is important for companies to tailor their operations, ensuring they engage local players and stay on the right side of relevant regulators. Carbon-copying previous business plans is not enough to win over today’s bettors, who are savvier than ever before and have specific local needs. This can only be done through the utilisation of extensive local knowledge. Only by knowing how players source their games, how and when they play them, and what they look for in each game’s features, can operators truly succeed across each individual country.

Respecting the regionalisms of Latin America will be decisive in the success of any broader marketing strategy. Treating Latin America as a homogenous region that will respond favourably across the board to a pan-regional, one-size-fits-all marketing blast is unlikely to be the first step on the path to success.

Tied into this requirement is a need to operate on a flexible platform that can respond appropriately to the demands of players in different regional markets. The central reality for offshore operators is that rolling out the products that brought them success in Europe will not be enough to conquer what will be a fiercely competitive marketplace.

Marketing must be delivered in real-time and must be personalised to the preferences of customers in Colombia, Brazil and beyond.

Meeting local needs

As such, all international operators targeting the Latin American market will need to craft a bespoke offering attuned to the requirements of local consumers. From ensuring the relevant markets for different sporting events are front and centre of your landing page to having the optimal data solution for prioritising the aforementioned marketing material will be of undeniably crucial importance in enhancing both retention and revenues.

This is arguably more important for European operators entering Latin America than those who have successfully entered Asia, where English and Spanish football remain hugely popular. Latin America’s key markets boast their own hugely popular leagues, that will need to be placed front and centre of any marketing campaign.

Significant opportunities can be found in the mobile space in Latin America. According to a 2016 study by global mobile data firm GSMA Intelligence, smartphone adoption is continuing apace, with mobile internet usage growing exponentially, yet, a mere 20.9% of gross gambling win in Latin America is being generated by the mobile channel in 2017.

In light of these figures, there are clear and targetable possibilities in the mobile space for operators to consider in Latin America, and both they and platform providers should keep them front of mind when planning their regional marketing campaigns. As with Asia, we may see the online gaming boom skip the desktop stage in Latin America, and marketing campaigns will need to reflect this reality. Operators should not expect any easy ride as these new markets regulate. The opportunity is obvious but it will require a creative approach to marketing, and likely a significant spend to capitalise.

Rubén Loeches is chief marketing officer at R. Franco Group, the multinational Spanish gaming supplier and solutions provider. With over 10 years working in the gambling, betting and online gaming industries, he is skilled in operations management and marketing strategy.