“Caleta’s team bets for permanent innovation”: Sergio Gabriel Longo

Sergio Gabriel Longo, a top executive with a wide experience in the Latin American iGaming industry, talked to SoloAzar about his new position as Caleta Gaming Sales Manager, where he was hired to coordinate the commercial efforts and expand the business in order to accelerate the continuous growth of the firm.

Caleta is building a solid base in the region and this new addition to the team of a specialized professional based in LATAM is a new pillar in this strategy.

Have you received the proposal to work at Caleta Gaming with enthusiasm? And why have you decided to join the company?

I am very happy to work at Caleta Gaming, where I perceive an excellent work environment. All the professionals you interact with are well aligned and committed to offering the best product and service for our clients. I joined because I saw a solid company with great potential and enough flexibility to compete in the global market with excellent options. I discovered great ideas, inspiring leaders, an excellent portfolio, along with a creative and diverse team that understands the business. The Caleta team is committed to permanent innovation, for example, we have games that reward NFTs, which is a great differentiator and a novelty that has attracted a lot of interest. The potential for business growth in Caleta is very significant, both in terms of the geographical presence that we are going to strengthen, and in the offer of services and products, because we are the creators.

What will be your main objectives in the short and medium term?

As Sales Manager for Caleta, my primary objective is to develop and maintain strong relationships with current clients and the many we will incorporate, focusing on expanding partnerships and businesses, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean in the short term. Caleta already has a solid base in the region. We have 16 games certified for the Colombian market and a license to operate in the Bahamas granted last April. Therefore, one potential to expand the scope of the regulated market in Latin America is to obtain the iGaming license for the province of Buenos Aires in Argentina and we are on that path.

In other latitudes, we already have excellent penetration in the Asian market in the Philippines, thanks to our flagship product, Video Bingo, for this reason, in the medium term we will seek the growth of that region by leveraging on the success of the Philippines.

In the short term, we also intend to expand our sales team. I will have the important and pleasant mission of coordinating these new talents that will be recruited for the commercial area.

What will be the biggest challenges?

We have a large global operation and we as a team take care of the Americas as well as Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.

Therefore, that is a demanding challenge in terms of the diversity of schedules and that is very motivating at the same time, being in contact with such capable and valuable people from such diverse cultures, with a common denominator, we are all passionate about casino games.

How do you currently see the Latin American market? What do you think are the main challenges in the region?

Latin America itself remains as challenging as it is potentially very attractive. After attending the Peru Gaming Show (PGS) 2022, which took place in Lima at the beginning of June and then at the BIS in São Paulo, in Caleta we reaffirmed once again the relevance of the Latin American region.

In the BIS we had the opportunity to show our offer in a very positive way, and day by day we know more about the market increasing our presence.

Our Video Bingo offer has captured the interest of several operators in Latin America. In itself, we clearly have a theme in our games that is aimed at the Latin American market and we seek to capitalize on it.

Additionally, in many LATAM jurisdictions, there are changes aimed at regulation and we are also making progress in that direction. While that is a big challenge itself, the regulated market gives operators, players, and providers protection.

Online games of chance have grown a lot in recent times. Which markets do you think are still a challenge?

Asia and Africa are two markets that, together with Latin America, capture my interest. The African continent is a challenge and also an emerging opportunity, its potential is increasing, both for its young players and for internet penetration. The demand for online gaming services has been great in that part of the world. Already, more than 30% bet online. And while sports betting is garnering more interest, iGaming is rapidly gaining popularity. We have a lot to grow there. As for Asia, Caleta has a solid and sustainable player base in the Philippines who are video bingo lovers. We will try to expand in that region from there, partnering with operators, aggregators, and platforms that see this potential.

Do you consider face-to-face games and online games to be a competition or a complement? Why?

In my opinion, it is a dichotomy that has already been settled, there is room for everyone and the player enjoys both worlds, which sooner rather than later will be as if it were one. In fact, players can already play the same games on physical machines such as cell phones or computers, it’s all a matter of which experience they like the most, or rather when they want to enjoy it.

In short, it will be a matter of moments, as we currently consume content, whenever we like or from wherever we want, and not like a few years ago, tied to a specific time, for example in front of a television or going to a cinema. But the experience of going to a movie theater is as good as watching an on-demand series enjoying with your loved ones in the tranquility of your home.

In a complementary way, a player can bet in a physical casino even from his cell phone and contribute to the local jackpot of a progressive. Go home and when you feel like it, continue playing. Technology and inventiveness have no limits, nor prejudices, the player himself decides how, where, and when to play.

How would you describe the current player of Caleta Gaming?

The Caleta player is intelligent and seeks to have fun with very good and entertaining games, with excellent designs, graphics and sound, with new prizes such as NFTs, with themes and content that make sense to him. The Caleta player is a lover of video bingo and sometimes likes taking a little more risk by buying an attraction, he also loves progressive cards. This player can bet and cash out in both local currency and cryptocurrencies.

Source: SoloAzar