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Exclusive Q&A with Vera Motto, Business Development Executive at Habanero

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Having signed a raft of new deals and partnerships in recent months across Latin America, we caught up with Habanero’s business development executive for the region, Vera Motto, to get the lowdown on the supplier’s latest market movements.

Habanero’s certainly signed a lot of deals recently! Can you take us through your recent LatAm successes?

We’re delighted to be live on some of LatAm’s biggest brands, including BetJuego, Ganabet and Big Bola. We will also go live shortly with DoradoBet, expanding our reach in Peru, where we are already live with a number of key players, including Apuesta Total.

These latest deals cap a string of comprehensive agreements with major regional operators such as Salsa, LatamWin and Codere, with plenty of plans for entering new territories together on the table. It’s fantastic to see how far we’ve come in our short time on the continent and we’ll keep that momentum going forward with a range of exciting deals and market entries on the horizon.

Has the regulation of Colombia’s iGaming market set an example for other countries in the region to follow? 

Without a doubt. Coljuegos has done a brilliant job of regulating a complex market, creating a safe and open environment with a competitive tax rate. The pro-active approach taken by the regulator has paved the way for a productive dialogue between operators, suppliers and the authorities.

In fact, even in the middle of the pandemic, Coljuegos managed to create entirely new online regulatory frameworks for live casino, scratchcards and bingo – which I’m sure no others can claim to have done! For us certainly, this demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond in ensuring that operators are equipped with a diverse set of revenue streams, preserving a lucrative market for the local economy amid testing circumstances. We’re thrilled to see such commitment.

Apart from Colombia, which LatAm markets are the ones to watch in 2020? 

The city of Buenos Aires and Panama are the two most likely to enter the online domain next; both with sports betting and casino. Puerto Rico’s regulator has also recently appointed Gaming Laboratories International as an advisor, with the jurisdiction likely to finalise the process in the coming months.

Elsewhere, plenty of jurisdictions have pending regulation, with Brazil certainly looking the most promising. Although, even more exciting for us at the moment is Mexico. The market holds a wealth of opportunity, and we’ve only started to make our mark across such a rich and diverse country – and we look forward to solidifying our presence there over the coming months with major local providers.

Do you anticipate entering any of those markets, or launching further LatAm-oriented products? 

Absolutely. We expect to enter Argentina and Panama as soon as regulation allows, with Brazil also on Habanero’s long-term radar. When it comes to games, it has been our experience that what works globally also works best in LatAm. A successful game performs well anywhere, and that’s exactly what we’ve observed with international hits such as Egyptian Dreams Deluxe and Hot Hot Fruit.

That’s not to say that localised content isn’t effective too. Our Mexican-themed title, 5 Mariachis, has performed fantastically on the continent, as have games with Asian themes, most likely due to the historic linkages between the two cultures.

Has LatAm’s gaming industry been affected by COVID-19 in broadly the same way as other territories? Or have you observed differing impacts? 

Geographically speaking, the impact of COVID-19 on our industry has been consistent across the board. An increase in online gaming traffic has been an internationally observed trend, due in large part to the near universal closure of land-based and retail outlets.

One potential difference I may expect in the future is a varied retention rate, mostly due to a larger part of the population being unfamiliar with online gaming before the lockdown compared to Europe or other areas. As part of this, we’re very excited to be stepping up to the challenge of converting a whole demographic of land-based players – and we stand ready to equip our operator partners with everything they need to boost player engagement.

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Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.

Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.

Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.

Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.

Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.

Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.

“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”

Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.

“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”

The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

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BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.

This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.

Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available

New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].

Registration and program details will be released later this fall.

The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).

The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.

Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestoneit’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”

On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”

Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.

 

The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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