Alessandro Valente: “SiGMA North America Completes Our Vision for the Americas”

From Emerging Potential to a Regulated Industry

How do you assess the recent evolution of the gaming and iGaming ecosystem in Latin America, and what role is SiGMA playing in the region's development?

Over the past few years, Latin America has shifted from being viewed as a market full of potential to becoming a tangible reality. The launch of Brazil's regulated market under Law 14.790 in January 2025 marked a turning point, transforming the region into a functioning, supervised, and taxed industry. Today, the focus extends beyond growth to include governance, technological innovation, and long-term sustainability.

SiGMA has played a structural role in this transformation. By bringing the Brazilian iGaming Summit together with SiGMA Group, we created more than a larger event—we established one of the industry's most important platforms for dialogue between regulators, lawmakers, operators, and suppliers. Those conversations are essential for building legitimate, regulated markets and demonstrating the industry's positive economic and social contributions through tax revenues, employment, sports, and culture.

AI, Mobile, Payments, and Responsible Gaming Shape the Future

From your perspective, what current trends are shaping the industry globally and regionally?

Artificial intelligence has rapidly become a standard expectation rather than a competitive advantage. Today, AI drives personalization, customer retention, compliance, and responsible gaming monitoring.

Latin America is also fundamentally a mobile-first region, meaning successful operators are those that prioritize mobile experiences from the outset. Payments continue to redefine user expectations as well. Brazil's Pix system fundamentally changed the market by introducing instant, frictionless transactions, setting a new benchmark for the continent.

At the same time, live gaming and social experiences continue to outperform purely automated products because players increasingly seek entertainment rather than simple transactions.

Perhaps the most significant trend is the industry's commitment to responsibility. Operators now have access to better tools for identifying problem gambling through self-exclusion systems, affordability assessments, and proactive monitoring. Equally important is the fight against illegal markets. Excessive taxation or prohibition does not eliminate demand—it simply shifts activity to unregulated environments. The industry's growing focus on compliance reflects a healthier and more mature market.

Better Quality Attendees, More Meaningful Business

Looking back at recent SiGMA events, what key takeaways would you highlight regarding content, attendee profiles, and business opportunities?

Our objective has never been simply to organize larger events—it has always been to organize better ones.

As regulation advances, the market becomes more professional, allowing us to prioritize quality over quantity. During the latest BiS SiGMA South America edition, we welcomed delegates from more than 65 countries, hundreds of exhibitors, and a strong presence of regulators and government officials actively participating on stage.

The attendee profile has also evolved significantly. Instead of newcomers exploring opportunities, we now see C-level executives, investors, legal specialists, and compliance leaders attending with the clear objective of conducting business.

Our conference agenda has matured alongside the market. Discussions have moved beyond questioning whether Latin America represents a viable opportunity and now focus on operating responsibly and profitably. Regulation, taxation, AI, payments, and responsible gaming have become the central themes because they reflect the industry's current priorities.

Latin America Offers Diverse Opportunities for Investors

What is your assessment of the Latin American market in terms of maturity, regulation, and investment opportunities?

The first point every investor must understand is that Latin America is not a single market. Each country presents unique regulatory environments and business realities.

Brazil serves as the regional anchor. Its first regulated year generated approximately R$36.9 billion in gross gaming revenue, positioning it among the world's largest gaming markets. However, continued growth depends on improving channelization by encouraging more players to migrate toward licensed operators while navigating a progressively increasing tax framework through 2028.

Mexico represents another major opportunity and is precisely why SiGMA is bringing its North America Summit there. Demand remains extremely strong, while potential regulatory reforms continue to generate industry expectations despite recent increases in gaming taxes.

Meanwhile, Colombia and Peru continue to offer some of the region's most established and stable regulatory frameworks.

The opportunity across Latin America is significant, but the era of rapid market expansion without preparation has ended. Successful investors will be those who enter with local partnerships, local expertise, and compliance integrated into their operations from the beginning. Regulation should not be viewed as a barrier to investment—it is the foundation that makes sustainable investment possible.

Mexico Becomes the Gateway to North America

SiGMA North America will take place at Centro Banamex in Mexico City. What can attendees expect from this edition?

I'm genuinely excited because this event completes SiGMA's vision for the Americas.

Every April, our South America edition serves the Portuguese-speaking market. Now, SiGMA North America, taking place from September 1-3 at Centro Banamex in Mexico City, creates a bridge between Spanish-speaking markets, the United States, and Canada. Mexico is naturally positioned to connect these regions, and the timing is especially favorable as the 2026 FIFA World Cup further increases international attention on the country.

The conference program has been designed specifically for senior executives and decision-makers. Topics will include artificial intelligence, personalization, market entry strategies, fraud prevention, KYC, affiliate marketing across North America, and the regulatory developments most relevant to companies expanding into Mexico and neighboring markets.

Networking remains one of the event's greatest strengths. Through conferences, startup competitions, awards ceremonies, and the week's networking activities extending into Cancun, our objective is to create an environment where buyers and sellers can build lasting partnerships.

Ultimately, our goal is straightforward: we want attendees to leave Mexico City having found the right business partners and successfully closed meaningful deals. That is the purpose behind every SiGMA platform we build.


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Don’t miss the chance to join the industry’s leading event in Mexico City!