Axel Antillon, WA.Technology: “All of our partnerships are built on a strong foundation of collaboration”

Axel Antillon, Regional Director LatAm at WA.Technology, reflects on the company’s presence at SBC Summit Lisbon and shares his thoughts on the company’s achievements so far this year.

Exclusive interview.- WA.Technology had a fruitful and interesting time at SBC Summit Lisbon. This is reflected by Axel Antillon, regional director LatAm at WA.Technology, in this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News where he also spoke about the company’s upcoming participation at SBC Summit Latin America and reflected on WA.Technology’s achievements so far this year.

We are already in the Q3 of this year. What are the company’s greatest achievements so far and what are your main goals for the rest of the year?

We have had a tremendous year so far – we have pushed the boundaries of innovation with our full spectrum of igaming solutions, and we’re now seen as the most sought-after B2B provider across major LatAm markets, which I’m incredibly proud of!  

As you can imagine, it’s tricky to pick just one achievement. However, without a doubt, the major highlight is that exact ability to establish and maintain our dominance as the go-to B2B provider for LatAm operators. We strive to deliver the best possible experience for our partners by drawing on our team’s wealth of local market knowledge and using those insights to tailor our portfolio of cutting-edge igaming solutions to operators’ individual needs. The fact that we are the platform and igaming solutions provider of choice for the biggest brands on the continent is certainly a testament to this. 

As we edge closer to 2025, there is one market that will be a major focus for WA.Technology: Brazil. We know that Brazil is brimming with opportunities for growth, and we are excited to enter once the regulated market launches on 1 January 2025. We already have local teams on the ground in Brazil – with a level of local expertise and understanding that no other B2B provider can match.

“We have pushed the boundaries of innovation with our full spectrum of igaming solutions.”

In your view, what was the stand-out moment for WA.Technology at the recent SBC Summit in Lisbon?

Great question! The WA.Technology team attended SBC Summit in full force, where we showcased all our state-of-the-art product suite to operators looking to make their mark in Africa, Brazil and Latin America. 

We had plenty of stand-out moments during the event. During the day, our team had jam-packed schedules with meetings with current and potential new business partners. In these meetings, we were able to showcase our newly upgraded WA.Affiliates and WA.Fantasy solutions, which have been designed specifically to help operators drive acquisition and retention in highly competitive markets, as well as our entire range of bespoke solutions, products, and services. 

Our team was able to show off their extensive expertise in the igaming industry and how their collective experience has enabled WA.Technology to tailor our solutions to the unique requirements of various markets across Latin America, giving our partners a full roster of tools to gain an edge over the competition. If you’re attending SBC Summit Latinoamerica in a few weeks, make sure to visit stand B20 where you’ll be able to hear a lot more about our LatAm plans!

Looking back at SBC Lisbon, our WA.Lottery solution also took centre stage during the event, and with good reason. Representing a high-performing acquisition tool for all partners, WA.Lottery gives players access to more than 70 of the world’s biggest lottery formats, including weekly prizes of $100m across all LatAm and Brazilian draws.  Highly popular lottery games from the USA, such as Powerball and Megamillions, are also available, with jackpots reaching in excess of $1bn.  

Of course, we must mention the spectacular WA.Technology Urban Jungle party on the Wednesday night! This was THE party of the week – with fantastic music in a stunning venue in the heart of Lisbon’s botanical gardens, making for the perfect opportunity to catch up with the creme de la creme of the iGaming industry, truly a night to remember!  Our team did an exceptional job at organising this party, and I think it’s safe to say that everyone who made it onto the exclusive VIP guestlist had a fantastic time. 

SBC Summit Latinoamérica is only a few weeks away, where you will be exhibiting at stand B20. What are your expectations in terms of meeting with clients and potential deals?

During the SBC Summit Latinoamérica, we want to showcase to everyone the reason why WA.Technology is the go-to B2B provider for the Latin American market. We’re very proud to be the best, and we plan on expanding that even more! At stand B20, we will be showcasing our strength of product, as well as our team’s wealth of knowledge of the region. 

WA.Technology is the only platform and solutions provider on the market that is able to deliver the levels of personalisation and localisation needed to dominate in markets such as LatAm and Brazil. We understand the needs of each market, and more importantly, how to help our partners to gain a competitive edge. No other provider can achieve this like we can.

We will be sharing how our local, round-the-clock technical support, dedicated account management teams and our full range of managed services across both sportsbook and casino; customised to each country, enable us to deliver an unparalleled level of expertise that provides our partners with a platform to achieve exceptional results.

“WA.Technology is the only platform and solutions provider on the market that is able to deliver the levels of personalisation and localisation needed to dominate in markets such as LatAm and Brazil.”

In your view, what makes a successful partnership, and what are some of the most crucial factors you look for when choosing your partner?

Without a doubt, I think the most important thing to understand is that no two partnerships are the same. Each will have its own unique set of goals and requirements; as a result, you need to take an individual approach to each and every partnership. 

All of our partnerships are built on a strong foundation of collaboration. We work very closely with each and every operator in our network to fully understand their unique needs and we personalise our products accordingly. For example, a sportsbook-only operator won’t want to be sifting through casino content. 

For us, we also work tirelessly to remove the technical burden for our partners. We have developed our platform and solutions in a way that new products can be added via a single integration, meaning operators don’t have to spend weeks sifting through various administrative tasks. We are delivering stand-out products and solutions in a quick, easy and streamlined manner.

WA.Technology is present all around the world. How important are customisation and flexibility to ensure that your offer can adapt to different regions, regulations, and interests?

Personalisation and flexibility are at the heart of everything that WA.Technology does. We fully understand that each market presents its own unique set of challenges – and sometimes, operators may have to pivot their strategies to ensure they remain compliant with local regulations. 

Latin America is a great example of why personalisation and flexibility are key. The continent is filled with a wide array of cultures, regulatory frameworks and languages – this all translates to differences in what players enjoy. Players in Brazil might have a strong preference for betting markets on local soccer teams, whereas those in Mexico may enjoy casinos. Tailoring your product suite to cater to your players’ needs is going to be the key to player engagement and retention. 

This is an approach that has largely shaped our African strategy too. Localisation is essential to success in Africa, and it’s a big part of what we offer – be it language, website design or even products. WA.Technology works alongside our partners to ensure that we optimise our products to suit the various different technical requirements of each market. It really is a collaborative process, and one that we believe puts us in a strong position to deliver solid growth for our partners.

What do you think will be the keys to making a difference in the industry in the current landscape?

Again – personalisation, personalisation, personalisation! This is going to be the factor that really defines who is and isn’t a market leader in LatAm. It has already become a key battleground for the industry in recent years; as players continue to demand more unique, entertainment-led experiences, we can only expect it to become even more important.

To meet this growing demand for more bespoke experiences, WA.Technology is able to offer betting markets that are tailored to local audiences – be it markets on local football leagues or certain products that are popular in that market. 

By understanding what is popular with players, and adapting your offering accordingly, operators can better engage with their audience and ultimately boost engagement. There is no other B2B provider in LatAm that can do this like WA.Technology can.

Another key factor will be the growing influence of local payment methods. Players ultimately need to have access to methods that allow them to deposit and withdraw their winnings in a currency available to them; fail to provide that, and they will spend with your competitor instead.

This is particularly important in Brazil, for example, where PIX Payments are absolutely dominant. Of course, throughout LatAm, operators need a provider that can adapt to the differing mobile networks and payment gateways, which means that you need to have different fintech ecosystems in each market. Fortunately, we offer all this and more. Come by stand B20 at SBC Summit Latinoamerica in Miami to discover how we can take your business to new heights!