Esports are reaching new heights as the technology behind them advances, and esports revenues in LatAm are estimated to exceed US$20 million by 2027. That figure is an industry estimate rather than one of ours, but the direction it points in is not in dispute.
So what are the key innovations driving the industry, and is cloud infrastructure accelerating the esports betting market? Those were the questions the SBC 2023 put to a panel our CEO, Fernando Polti, moderated.
What the SBC Summit Latinoamérica is
The SBC Summit Latinoamérica is one of the biggest conferences and trade shows for senior executives of the Latin American gaming and betting industry. It brings leadership teams and product specialists together in one room to share what they know.
The 2023 edition was held in Miami, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino — the same venue where the SBC Awards 2023 were presented at the end of it, and Latin America’s premier iGaming and sports betting event of the year.
The panel Wizards moderated on the future of Esports
Fernando Polti, Global Wizards’ CEO, moderated the SBC 2023 panel on the future of Esports. The panel was made up of:
- Diego Foresi, CEO at Infinity Esports
- Fernando Diez, CEO at Leviatan Esports
- Angel Calderón, Head of Sales LatAm and Iberia at SIS
- Summit context
- Panel exchange
- Esports and betting interaction
- Regulatory safeguards
- AI in experience and production
What integrating sports betting with esports could bring Latin America
Pairing sports betting with esports is, on our reading of the market, worth three things to the region.
- Economic growth. The fusion of esports and betting can lift the regional economy, create jobs and draw investment, with a return on that investment to follow.
- Fan engagement. Betting on an esports event deepens the engagement of the people watching it, brings more viewers in and raises the profile of esports itself.
- Infrastructure. Esports betting pushes the infrastructure around it forward, which makes Latin America more competitive globally and more attractive to international tournaments.
Those are our expectations rather than measured outcomes, and they are the reason we build in this market at all.
What regulation changes for esports betting
Regulation is what makes sports betting fair, transparent and responsible — and in esports it does two jobs at once, safeguarding the integrity of the competition and protecting the people betting on it.
Clear guidelines also do something less obvious: they encourage investment. Money arrives where the rules are known, so a well-regulated market grows faster than an unregulated one and carries less risk for everyone in it.
Where AI fits in iGaming
AI changes both halves of an iGaming product — the player’s experience of it, and the process that builds it. That is why it came up on a panel about the future of esports rather than on one about technology.
At Wizards we use it to build AI-powered casino games, with a team of Latin American developers and artists behind them. The same tools shape the art, the assets and the way a game plays.
Questions about the SBC 2023
What is the SBC Summit Latinoamérica?
The SBC Summit Latinoamérica is one of the biggest conferences and trade shows for senior executives of the Latin American gaming and betting industry. It brings leadership teams and product specialists together to share what they know and to move the industry on.
When and where was the SBC 2023 held?
The 2023 edition ran from 31 October to 2 November at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Miami, as stated on the event card published with this article.
Who moderated the future of eSports panel at the SBC 2023?
Fernando Polti, Global Wizards’ CEO, moderated it. The panel was made up of Diego Foresi, CEO at Infinity Esports, Fernando Diez, CEO at Leviatan Esports, and Angel Calderón, Head of Sales LatAm and Iberia at SIS.
What could integrating sports betting with esports bring Latin America?
On our reading, three things: economic growth, as the pairing creates jobs and draws investment into the region; deeper fan engagement, since betting on an esports event brings more viewers to it; and infrastructure development, which makes Latin America more competitive for international tournaments.
What role does regulation play in esports betting?
Regulation is what makes sports betting fair, transparent and responsible, and well-written rules protect both the integrity of an esports competition and the people betting on it. Clear guidelines can also encourage investment and reduce the risks that come with betting in a young market.
How is AI used in iGaming?
AI improves the player’s experience and optimises the development process behind it. Wizards uses it to build AI-powered casino games — generated art and assets, and models that shape how a game plays.
Work with us
If you are building for esports or for iGaming in Latin America, our team can tell you what the market and its regulators will bear. Talk to our experts and we will start with your project.
