AffPapa Returns to Cancun with Bigger Plans for Latin America

AffPapa Conference Cancun 2026: Building on Last Year’s Success

Lessons learned and new experiences for attendees

What did the team learn from that experience, and what new things or surprises can we expect this year?

“The biggest lesson was how much demand there is in the region. Going to Cancun last year was a bit of a leap for us, and with the amount of positive feedback we got, we knew we’d made the right call. It confirmed the same thing our community had been telling us for a long time, that there was a strong demand for an event built around the Latin American iGaming market.

Another important thing we learned is that people don’t come to Cancun just for the panels. Some of the best conversations last year happened at the opening drinks at Aloft or over dinner, when people were relaxed and actually getting to know each other. That’s where a lot of real partnerships started. So this year, we stopped treating the fun side as something extra and made it part of the program.

This year, there’s a lot more happening outside the sessions. We’ve teamed up with Nordic Partners Gaming to bring an Esports Zone to the conference floor, so people can take a break between meetings in the interactive zone. NPG’s professional player and streamer FreeZe will be there too, and I’m curious to see how many affiliates are brave enough to challenge him. We’re also hosting a VIP dinner and tequila tasting with Betable, because you can’t come to Mexico and skip the tequila. On the first day, we’re bringing back the running club. We tested the format in Madrid and it went really well, so doing it again in Cancun was an easy decision. And to wrap it all up, we’ll close the conference with the AffPapa iGaming Awards LATAM 2026, which is always one of my favourite nights of the year.”

Turning Networking Into Business Opportunities

The importance of bringing the right people together

What do you think makes a connection made at an event like AffPapa Cancun turn into a real business opportunity?

“A real business opportunity comes when two professionals see how they can benefit from working together, and I think it comes down to the right people being in the same room. The more relevant the event attendees you meet are to your business, the more likely those conversations are to lead to lasting partnerships. We’ve seen that happen at our events, which is why we put so much thought into the attendee mix at AffPapa Conferences, to make sure they have relevant business interests.”

Creating value beyond the conference sessions

After organizing conferences across different markets, you’ve probably seen it all. What needs to happen at a conference for an attendee to leave thinking, “It was definitely worth coming”? What kind of moment or experience are you looking to create at AffPapa Cancun?

“For me, it’s pretty simple. With all AffPapa Conferences, especially in regions like Latin America, it all comes down to whether people go home with conversations they can actually follow up on. If an affiliate flies all the way to Cancun and comes back with a few operators they’re excited to keep working with, then the trip was worth it. A lot of our planning goes into getting the right people in the room and building structured networking formats like our speed-dating sessions, where affiliates and operators can meet face to face without having to spend hours looking for each other on the conference floor.

The content of panels matters too, of course. I want people to walk out of a session with something they can use, maybe a better sense of where regulation is going in a particular country, or an idea for how to set up their next deal.”

Why Cancun Is a Strategic Meeting Point for Latin America

Connecting regional and international iGaming professionals

AffPapa is positioned as an affiliate-led event with a strong focus on Latin America. What makes Cancun the right place to bring together affiliates, operators and B2B providers from across the region, and what do you hope they will take away from this edition?

“Cancun is easy to reach from across the Americas and from Europe, which is important when you’re bringing together companies that are already working in Latin America and those looking to enter it. It also gives us a more relaxed setting than your typical exhibition city. People are more open, conversations tend to last longer, and they find it easier to trust each other, because they get to spend time together outside 15-minute meeting slots.

Every country in the region is at a different stage of regulation and market development. Having local and international professionals in the same room means attendees can compare notes on what’s happening in Mexico, Brazil, Peru or elsewhere, and get answers you typically can’t find online.

I hope people leave with a clearer picture of where the region is heading and with partners they trust. Ideally, those relationships carry on well after the conference.”

AffPapa Cancun 2026: Networking Beyond Business

The return of the pool party

And finally, the most important question: last year, the pool party became one of the most talked-about and memorable moments of the event. Can we confirm that attendees should pack their swimsuits again this year? :)

“Absolutely, swimsuits are mandatory! The pool party was the thing people kept bringing up long after last year’s conference ended, so dropping it was never an option. This year, on the evening of the first day, we’re heading to Mandala Beach Club, where we hosted it last time. It’s one of the best spots in Cancun, and honestly, it’s the best way to finish off the opening conference day. I’ll have to admit that some of the best conversations I had in Cancun didn’t happen in a meeting room. It’s hard to stay formal when everyone’s in flip-flops. We’ll share more details closer to the date.”