Industry leaders of Latin America gathered together in November for SBC Summit Latinoamérica. Joining that esteemed group was Logrand Entertainment Group COO Lenin Castillo. Already a market leader for land-based gaming in markets like Mexico, Castillo spoke with SBC Americas about what the company is doing to replicate its success online.
“Today we already have 15 casinos and from there we decided approximately four and a half years ago to make a strategic plan to start venturing into the digital world. And that led us to develop everything that today we are already working on with platforms and venturing not only into the Mexican market but also internationally,” Castillo explained.
He attributed some of the success of the company to a diverse workforce that represents not just people from different genders or backgrounds, but also people from a range of age groups. While balancing the needs of a multi-generational workforce can be tricky sometimes, it is worth it to Logrand to appeal to everyone.
“Today, at an operational level and at the clientele level, you have all the generations and so when you are in an organization in the process of development and growth, you have to take that into consideration to try to understand and match what each one of them is looking for and align that,” Castillo said.
After all, the key to success in LatAm gambling, or any gambling market really, is a workforce that is savvy about both the marketplace and the industry as a whole. When asked about how the company has found success, Castillo immediately noted that a good staff is paramount. Moreover, it needs to be a group that understands the difference between land-based and online gambling.
“The first thing is to have the people, to have the right people, and when I say the right ones, I mean people who are… if not already immersed in the industry, who know what the industry consists of and that has developed capacity. Many times one may think that coming from the world of betting or physical gaming, the digital world is a simple extension and it really is not.”
Nuance is important for companies looking to enter Latin America too. It is not a homogenous market, and European and North American companies need to sync up with local operators in order to find success.
“What I would suggest that they should learn is that they should preferably, if not associate, link up with people who are immersed in that market. Because again when we are Latin Americans we speak Spanish, each one of us has particularities and not only on a personal level but also on a regulatory level,” he said. “Each country has its own conditions. So I think that one of the important points is to really get to know and within that personalization.”
Heading into a new year, Logran is looking to maintain its status as a major player in the market, but also grow its presence to new markets, both live and online.
“We are going to continue consolidating our operation, what we are looking for as an organization is to continue growing. Today Logrand is a benchmark. If you enter the Mexican market and ask who is Logrand and who is Strendus, we are the benchmark not only for competitors but also for authorities and customers. And this is a product of this mantra that we bring to really serve the client in a personalized way and strictly comply with all regulatory frameworks.”
Watch the whole video interview here.
