Panama City to Host 11th Ibero-American Gaming Summit in May 2027

Institutional Support: Panama’s Gaming Control Board Takes the Lead

The Ibero-American Gaming Summit has officially selected Panama City as the host location for its 11th edition. The Panama Gaming Control Board (Junta de Control de Juegos de Panamá), an entity under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Panama, will serve as the institutional host for this key international forum.

Panama stands out as one of the most dynamic and established markets in the American region. The country's casino and gambling industry achieved gross revenues of $2.938 billion in 2025—a 15% increase over the previous year—with the online segment acting as the primary growth engine.

A Regional Boom: Latin America’s Gaming Market Skyrockets

Panama’s market momentum reflects a much broader trend sweeping across Ibero-America. Driven by increasingly solid regulatory frameworks in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina, Latin America's regulated online gaming market is projected to reach $6.75 billion in annual revenue by 2027—up from $1.51 billion in 2023, according to VIXIO data.

Some industry forecasts place the market volume even higher—up to $8.71 billion by 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 11.3%. Globally, the gaming sector (combining land-based and digital operations) exceeded $642 billion in 2025, cementing Latin America's status as one of the fastest-growing regions worldwide.

Core Drivers: Digitalization, Regulation, and Sports Betting

The sector's rapid advancement across Ibero-America is propelled by several shared factors:

Increasing Digitalization: Fast-growing adoption of online channels.

Stronger Frameworks: Enhanced legal structures and increased oversight by national regulatory authorities.

Sports Betting Expansion: Sports betting continues to gain substantial ground among users across the region.

Building Bridges: A Decade-Long Legacy of Regulation and Growth

The event has established itself as an essential gathering place for the global gaming community, regularly bringing together the vast majority of Ibero-American regulators. Conceived to meet the need for a collaborative debate platform, the summit facilitates knowledge exchange to energize a key economic sector while deepening international ties.

Organized and promoted by JAK Comunicación, the Ibero-American Gaming Summit returns to Panama following ten successful past editions:

2014 & 2015: Madrid, Spain

2016: Mexico City, Mexico

2017: Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

2018: Medellín, Colombia

2019: Lima, Peru

2023: Panama City, Panama

2024: San Juan, Puerto Rico

2025: Lima, Peru

2026: Bogotá, Colombia