Gaming firm Aristocrat was among the key companies at Perú Gaming Show 2023, which took place June 12-13 at the Jockey Exposition Center in Lima. At the summit, the firm had a major stand and was represented by its team, among them Chris Rowe, Aristocrat’s Managing Director for Latin America.
In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, Rowe talked about the key features and takeaways of what has become one of the region’s major events. The reception to the company’s latest products, Aristocrat’s future plans, advances in gambling regulation and the firm’s strategy for the region this year were some of the topics he discussed.
What balance can you make of the Peru Gaming Show 2023? What sensations did the event leave compared to 2022?
PGS 2023 was an important and successful event for Aristocrat, where we debuted a
collection of first-to-market products for the Peruvian market. For two days we met
with customers from Peru, Colombia, and Chile, as well as visitors from other
countries.
We are very pleased with the results and noticed a major participation of the local
operators compared to the prior year
Aristocrat took the opportunity to present its latest products for the region. What was the reception of them like in the market and among the attendees?
Customer response to the latest products for the Peruvian market was fantastic. It
was the official Peru launch of the MarsX Portrait cabinet with the games Bao Zhu
Zhao Fu Blue Festival and Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Red Festival. These games
feature impressive mechanics including triple metamorphic and Aristocrat’s famous
Hold & Spin.
Noted by Eilers & Krejcik as top performers, ranking in the top ten of ‘Top Indexing
Games’ – Core, as well as being named ‘Top Performing New Video Reel Core Game’
and ‘Most Innovative Game’ at the 5th Annual EKG Slot Awards, these games have
been widely recognized.
Additionally, we launched the MarsX Upright cabinet with the games Fu Dai Lian
Lian Panda, Fu Dai Lian Lian Dragon, Gold Stacks 88 Turtle Kingdom, Gold
Stacks 88 Royal Monkey, Big Fu Cash Bats Dragon and Big Fu Cash Bats Bat
Blessing.
The event was undoubtedly a unique opportunity for networking and sharing knowledge with the main protagonists of the gaming industry. What do you consider to be the most important points discussed at the Peru Gaming Show?
As you mentioned it was a unique opportunity for networking and we were so pleased
that we had the opportunity to do it alongside our distributor and partner
Panamerican International Gaming.
During these two days, our team and C-suite executives met with the major operators in the region and presented the latest in new cabinets and games. Also, it was a great opportunity to see colleagues, gaming authorities, and other friends during the networking events organized by the PGS.
The sector went through different moments in recent years: the pandemic and
quarantine, the subsequent reopening and the growth that online gambling is
showing. What is Aristocrat’s strategy for addressing the challenges presented by the
region?
These past few years have allowed us to identify opportunities to both grow and
scale our business, which we are continuing to do so as customers return in full force.
As we look ahead, we will continue to focus our investment in design and
development, including product innovation by introducing new collections, market-
first developments, and premium products. This is how we will remain an industry
leader
Land-based casinos are historically the strong point for Aristocrat’s products,
although the company has also launched its online content division. How do you think in-person play will evolve in the near future?
Aristocrat continues to invest extensively in products and technology, along with
innovation, operational excellence, and customer engagement, to help drive further
share growth in key markets and genres.
Online RMG will provide further channels for the distribution of the group’s world-
leading content. Aristocrat’s online RMG business, Anaxi, delivered on its initial
market entry commitments and continues to establish solid foundations for growth.
Anaxi has signed content agreements with partners representing over 55% of the US
iGaming market – including BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and PENN Interactive – and
has also completed the acquisition of Roxor Gaming, whose highly scalable and
feature-rich Remote Game Server and content publishing technology will help
accelerate Anaxi’s growth plans.
The legalization and regulation of gambling are advancing in several countries of
LatAm, what is your opinion of this development and how is Aristocrat positioned
against this regional trend?
We’re closely following regulation of all markets in Latin America and continuously
keep a pulse on future areas of opportunity and growth. Our strategy is to see how
these markets evolve with new regulations put in place and analyze the opportunity
for Aristocrat and most importantly, our customers
Aristocrat PGS 2023