Latin America is not one single iGaming market. Each country brings its own player preferences, regulatory environment, cultural influences, business practices, and opportunities.
For game providers, understanding these differences can be essential to building meaningful relationships with operators and developing products that resonate with local audiences.
In this industry interview, Florencia Mendiuk, Account Manager LatAm at Belatra Games, shares her perspective on the Latin American market, the importance of local presence, building long-term operator relationships, lessons from working across the region, and what lies ahead for Belatra Games.
This interview was provided to iGamity by Belatra Games for publication.
One Region, Many Markets
LatAm is often spoken about as a single region, but how different are markets like Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Argentina when it comes to player expectations and operator relationships?
Florencia Mendiuk: There is no single Latin American player and no single Latin American market. A successful regional strategy must take into account the specifics of the region, but it is even more important that it takes into account the realities of each individual country, including regulatory requirements, language, technical infrastructure, payment preferences, and player behaviour.
At the same time, it is noticeable, and it is completely normal, that everyone wants to understand the formula for success in each individual country and the obvious patterns of behaviour of the players. But there is no single formula, no matter how we look for it. The market and players are dynamic, so real success is achieved through constant data analysis and communication with local operators. They are the ones who best know the preferences of the players and can track trends in their behaviour.
Providers can draw inspiration from local history, culture, and current trends when creating games, but none of this guarantees success. Equally, a game built around a theme with seemingly limited appeal can unexpectedly become a hit. In the end, success is more driven by the mechanics than the theme.
As for Belatra, the company's strongest-performing titles in the region today include Blast the Bass, Lavish Joker, Mummyland Treasures, 3X Super Peppers, and Fortune Mummy.
Football is also a strong cultural influence in Brazil. Sports engagement creates opportunities for game providers to explore ways of bringing that audience into casino games. Animal-themed games are also popular in the country, particularly games featuring tigers.
Mexico presents another interesting market. Sports betting remains a major gambling destination, while iGaming continues to gain ground. Online slots, casino games, and live casino are increasingly important parts of the market.
Peru has an active player base, while its regulatory environment includes API integration requirements designed to support fraud prevention and responsible gaming compliance. Horse racing also has a long-standing place in the country's betting culture.
Argentina has its own distinctive traditions. Lotteries have historically remained an important part of the country's gambling landscape, while the Book of Dreams connects dream symbols with lucky numbers. These cultural references create familiar concepts around luck, numbers, and traditional charms.
At the same time, cultural familiarity alone does not determine the success of an online slot. Players are often more influenced by how a game plays. Features such as bonus mechanics, volatility, in-game events, multipliers, and cascading reels can all contribute to the overall experience.
Across the region, mobile gaming is particularly important, with Android devices playing a major role. Instant and crash games are also popular, while social platforms and entertainment content continue to influence how audiences discover new experiences.
Another important development is the growth of strong local operators. These companies understand their individual markets closely and can provide valuable insight into regional player behaviour.
The Value of Being Close to the Market
Belatra Games has been present in Latin America for many years, with its Buenos Aires office opening in 2008. How much of your success in the region would you attribute to being close to the market and maintaining regular face-to-face contact with operators?
Florencia Mendiuk: I don't think it's fair to say that strong partnerships can only be built offline. We all see that most people in the iGaming industry work together successfully online.
However, our experience has shown that having a local presence in Latin America helps us build the right connections faster, establish stronger relationships, and resolve issues much more efficiently whenever they arise.
Buenos Aires has long been one of the main online gambling centres in Latin America. A large number of operators, providers, media, and industry specialists are concentrated here.
Having an office allows us to be part of the professional environment every day, not just during exhibitions. We regularly meet with partners in our Buenos Aires office, whether they are game vendors, media representatives, or creative agencies, and discuss how we can support each other's goals.
Latin America is also a region where business is still largely based on personal relationships. My work partner can call me on my mobile at any time to quickly discuss work issues, and this is completely normal. No one wants to spend days communicating by email if a problem can be solved in five minutes of conversation.
The Belatra Games team lives and works here, and we're in constant contact with colleagues and partners. That means we hear about market changes early and understand how to adapt.
There have been plenty of changes recently. The regulation of online gambling in Peru, for example, required providers to move quickly through local certification procedures and adjust their processes. At the same time, local operators continue to gain influence, while player preferences keep evolving.
These are the kinds of changes you notice much sooner when you're speaking with partners every day rather than reading about them later in industry reports.
Another important advantage of having a local team is that they understand the language, the culture, and the way business is done here.
Today, the region's leading operators are local companies. We live in the same region, speak the same language, and understand the local business environment, so it's much easier to connect, not just linguistically, but also in terms of expectations, pace of work, and approach to partnership.
There's actually a good example of this. Sometimes misunderstandings happen simply because of language. During one project, two sides were communicating in English, even though it wasn't the native language for either of them. At one point, expectations and reality started to drift apart.
We invited the partner to our Buenos Aires office, and since they were also from Argentina, we switched to Spanish. The issue was fully resolved in less than half an hour.
Building Strong Operator Relationships
How do you maintain strong relationships with operators once the partnership is established? Is it about regular communication, understanding local needs, or something else entirely?
Florencia Mendiuk: I don't think it comes down to just one thing. Strong partnerships are built when both sides are open, reliable, and genuinely respectful of each other.
Misunderstandings happen. That's completely normal. What really matters is being willing to find a solution that works for everyone.
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this: every conversation you have represents not only you but your entire company. The impression you leave today can influence how your brand is perceived tomorrow.
The iGaming industry is surprisingly small, and people talk. Partners often exchange opinions and recommendations about companies long before any collaboration begins.
At the same time, a partnership shouldn't stop once the contract is signed. That's really just the beginning.
Staying in touch, sharing feedback, and looking for new ways to grow together are what keep a relationship strong.
I believe that's what it's really about: being present in the market, staying connected, and always asking how you can create value for each other.
In the long run, consistency, trust, and mutual benefit are what make partnerships last.
Learning Through Curiosity
Looking back on your first years working in Latin America, what lesson do you wish someone had told you before you started?
Florencia Mendiuk: I wish someone had told me that you don't need to have all the answers before starting a conversation.
When you are new to a market, it can be tempting to feel that you need to know everything before speaking to an operator or entering a new conversation.
But over time, I have learned that curiosity can often be more valuable than pretending to have all the answers.
You can ask better questions, listen carefully, and be transparent about what you know and what you still need to understand.
Some of the best solutions are not delivered fully formed to a client. They are built collaboratively, with the people who understand the problem best.
You do not need to know everything. You need to be willing to learn quickly, ask good questions, and remain open to building solutions together.
Looking Ahead for Belatra Games
Finally, what's next for Belatra Games in Latin America? Can you share any upcoming plans, partnerships, or initiatives that players and operators should keep an eye on?
Florencia Mendiuk: Latin America is one of the regions we're watching most closely right now, and not just because of the market size, but because of the way players here engage with content.
They come back. They follow characters. They build loyalty in a way that makes our approach to game development particularly relevant here.
As for the upcoming event, players who have been following The Guy, our signature character from Blast the Bass, Ice Bass, and Hunt the Bucks, will surely appreciate our new slot with him soon.
More broadly, we'll continue building on what makes Belatra different in a crowded market: we don't compete on volume. We compete on longevity.
Our games are still being played years after release, and that's not an accident. It's the result of mechanics that don't overload the player and characters that people actually remember.
For operators in Latin America specifically, this matters. You don't need to spend energy pushing a new unknown title into your lobby every week. When players already know and trust the character, the game sells itself.
As for partnerships, there are things in motion that we're not ready to announce yet, but the collaborations we're working on reflect exactly where the LatAm market is heading. We'll have more to say before the end of the year.
About Florencia Mendiuk
Florencia Mendiuk is an Account Manager LatAm at Belatra Games, working with partners across the Latin American iGaming market.
Her role focuses on building relationships, understanding regional market dynamics, and supporting partnerships across a diverse and evolving region.
About Belatra Games
Belatra Games is an iGaming game developer with a portfolio of casino and gaming experiences. The company has maintained a presence in Latin America for many years, including its Buenos Aires office, which opened in 2008.
Its work in the region focuses on developing relationships with local operators and understanding the different market dynamics and player preferences across Latin America.
A Conversation on Latin America's Future
Latin America's iGaming landscape continues to evolve, creating opportunities for providers that take the time to understand individual markets rather than treating the region as one audience.
Florencia's perspective highlights the importance of local knowledge, communication, relationships, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. As the region continues to develop, these factors will remain important for companies looking to establish meaningful and lasting partnerships.
This interview was provided to iGamity by Belatra Games for publication. The views and opinions expressed in the interview belong to the interviewee.