The general manager of Alfastreet in Colombia, Alexander Rodriguez Illera, highlighted to Yogonet the position Colombia has achieved due to its regulation and the performance of the company he represents, which provides its electronic roulettes to the three most important local operators. He also announced the novelties that they will bring to the next edition of the gaming industry event GAT Cartagena, which will take place on March 15-17 at the Cartagena de Indias Convention Center.
What are your expectations for GAT Cartagena and what new products do you intend to offer?
Alfastreet is very excited about this event, as it shows real hope for a full recovery of the industry in the country. Based on conversations we have had with our clients and some managers, as well as the sales behavior of the last six months, we see that the outlook is getting clearer and that there is an investment trend both in large operators and in small and medium-sized ones as well. As a novelty, we will present the three-level Jackpot, which will be installed in the 2020’s roulette wheels, as well as a complete redesign of the layout or screen that the player has, for a more comfortable gaming experience in terms of design, and better analytical tools for the most advanced players. We will also present the Alfastreet Online platform, where operators will be able to expand the number of players remotely, a dynamic that has been quite successful in Asian countries.
We have as a special event on Tuesday, March 15, an invitation to the largest catamaran in Colombia, the Bonavida, where we can enjoy with our clients and friends a fantastic evening on the bay, and with some good surprises for the attendees.
What place does Latin America hold in the company’s plans?
Colombia is the number one country in Latin America, for the brand we have had a very positive response from customers and of course from players regarding our roulettes. In these seven years of exclusive representation in the country, we have positioned the brand predominantly among the three major operators, and we have successfully increased our presence in many casinos and gaming halls in the country. These efforts combined with the superior quality of Alfastreet products have positioned Colombia not only as number one in Latin America but also as a worldwide reference in more than 110 countries where we are present.
What are your expectations regarding the possible legalization of casinos in Brazil?
Brazil has been working on the issue of legalization for some years now, and it seems to be somewhat possible in the next two years. Naturally, we are very much looking forward to the opening of the market to repeat the task that was done in previous years with Venezuela (before the closure) and Colombia, where the brand became the favorite of operators in just a few years. We have already been approached by operators who are preparing their investment packages and all that remains is to wait for the opening of the market in order to enter it.
The latest annual statistics published by the Colombian regulator Coljuegos show strong recovery, is this a trend that is present in the markets where you are present?
In Colombia, as we mentioned, the recovery is slightly faster than in other countries, that are still facing the effects of the pandemic. However, there are markets that are also showing recovery, especially the United States, which had an outstanding year in 2021. Asia and Europe are going at a different pace, but in general, the markets are behaving in a positive way and we hope that with government regulations, normalcy will come in a couple of years to all industries in the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be losing momentum, what is Alfastreet’s assessment on this matter? Is recovery visible on the horizon?
It is the world’s great hope and we are no exception. We are optimistic about the future, with the hope of a prompt and full recovery of the markets, however, we are now more cautious, understanding that things can always change, experience is forged from mistakes and this pandemic has been a great lesson for all mankind. We must all be more aware of our mission and our way of life in the world, in our lives we must leave our mark and transcend positively in our social environment, work as well as in our families.