Gustavo Hiroshi, Zenith: “At ICE, we will showcase how our flexible integration models can support different entry strategies across LatAm”

In an exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Zenith Business Development Manager Gustavo Hiroshi explains the company’s focus on long-term partnerships in Latin America ahead of ICE Barcelona.

Exclusive interview.- As ICE Barcelona approaches, Latin America, and Brazil in particular, is emerging as one of the most strategically significant regions for suppliers and operators alike. In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Gustavo Hiroshi, Business Development Manager at Zenith, explains why the company is prioritising substance over visibility at the show, how its aggregation platforms OneAPI and GamesAPI are evolving to meet the demands of regulated LatAm markets, and why certification-first strategies, portfolio curation and long-term partnerships will define the next phase of growth across the region.

ICE Barcelona is shaping up to be a key event for the Latin American region. From Zenith’s perspective, what strategic priorities are you bringing to the show this year?

For Zenith, ICE this year is less about visibility and more about substance. Latin America has moved beyond the early-stage hype cycle, and our conversations with operators are now more mature, commercially grounded and long-term in nature. Our primary focus at ICE is strengthening relationships with existing LatAm operators and positioning Zenith as a long-term aggregation and content partner. Operators in the region are increasingly selective about who they work with, so discussions now centre on sustainability, portfolio relevance and speed to market.

We’ll also be showcasing how our flexible integration models can support different entry strategies across Latin America. At Zenith, we place a strong emphasis on agility, and ICE provides the ideal setting to demonstrate that flexibility is built into everything we do. From regulation and compliance to modular technology solutions and tailored operator roadmaps, we focus on supporting partners in a way that adapts to their specific market requirements. Whether an operator is entering Brazil for the first time, expanding into neighbouring regulated markets, or refining an existing LatAm operation, the ability to tailor aggregation and content delivery to their commercial goals has become critical. ICE gives us the opportunity to have these deeper conversations face-to-face.

“From regulation and compliance to modular technology solutions and tailored operator roadmaps, we focus on supporting partners in a way that adapts to their specific market requirements.”

Gustavo Hiroshi, business development manager at Zenith.

OneAPI has become a central pillar of Zenith’s aggregation strategy. How is this solution evolving to better support operators targeting Latin America and, in particular, the Brazilian market?

OneAPI continues to evolve in direct response to how Latin American operators are actually operating today. The focus is no longer just scale, but relevance and efficiency.

We’ve significantly expanded the availability of certified, regulation-ready content for LatAm markets, with Brazil driving that strategy. This includes securing BMM certifications for a growing number of leading providers, including TaDa Gaming and Pragmatic Play, among others. At the same time, we’ve invested heavily in backend efficiency to support faster integrations and smoother scaling as operators move from launch into growth phases.

Another important evolution is around portfolio curation. Operators no longer want a one-size-fits-all catalogue. Through OneAPI, we help partners select content based on regional player behaviour, market maturity and commercial performance, rather than pushing large volumes of games that don’t genuinely engage players. This approach allows operators to build stronger, more focused game portfolios that perform consistently over time.

Brazil is undergoing a major transformation as a regulated market. How has this influenced the way Zenith structures its aggregation, compliance and technical offering for operators entering or expanding in the country?

Brazil’s transition into a regulated market has fundamentally reshaped how aggregation needs to work. Compliance can no longer be treated as an afterthought or something bolted on later.

For Zenith, this means focusing on certification-first aggregation. We offer content that meets regulatory and technical requirements, which reduces both risk and operational friction at launch. We’ve also introduced more structured onboarding processes to ensure operators can move through regulatory checks efficiently without slowing down their go-to-market timelines.

Equally important is closer coordination with content providers. Aligning on technical standards, reporting requirements and regulatory expectations upfront ensures that operators aren’t caught between suppliers once they’re live. Our role is to provide scalable solutions that balance compliance, performance and commercial viability, which is exactly what operators entering Brazil now require.

With GamesAPI, Zenith positions itself as a major distributor of high-demand and localised content. What are operators in LatAm currently prioritising when it comes to game portfolios and player engagement?

Operators across Latin America are getting more selective in how they build their game portfolios. The trend has clearly shifted away from large, generic libraries towards more focused, performance-led selections. What we’re seeing is a strong preference for recognisable, high-performing titles with proven player appeal, combined with the ability to customise game selection by market. Many operators don’t want full aggregation if it adds unnecessary complexity. They want the freedom to deploy specific studios or titles quickly, without committing to an oversized catalogue.

Commercial terms also play a much bigger role than before. In regulated environments, margin protection matters, so operators are prioritising partners that can offer competitive pricing alongside fast deployment and technical simplicity. GamesAPI is designed precisely to meet those needs.

“Operators across Latin America are getting more selective in how they build their game portfolios.”

Gustavo Hiroshi, business development manager at Zenith.

PG Soft content continues to show strong performance globally. How does Zenith’s distribution model, including commercial terms and localisation, create added value for operators in competitive LatAm markets?

PG Soft remains one of the strongest-performing content providers across Latin America, particularly in mobile-first markets. As the world’s largest distributor of PG Soft Zenith is able to offer operators both scale and commercial advantage.

Competitive terms are essential in cost-sensitive, regulated environments, and our distribution model helps operators remain viable while accessing premium content. Through GamesAPI and OneAPI, operators can strategically select PG Soft titles, go live faster and avoid over-commitment to large portfolios that may not suit every market.

Localisation and configuration also play a key role. Supporting market-specific settings allows operators to align content with regional preferences, which directly impacts engagement and retention in LatAm markets.

Looking ahead to 2026, how significant do you expect the Brazilian market to be for Zenith’s overall growth, and what impact do you think Brazil will have on the conversations and deal-making at ICE Barcelona?

Brazil is one of Zenith’s most strategically important markets moving forward, with growth increasingly shaped by the quality of partnerships rather than scale alone. Operators that succeed in this environment are those focused on building sustainable commercial structures, prioritising compliance, and committing to long-term collaboration. At ICE Barcelona, Brazil will dominate many of the most serious discussions. Conversations are becoming more pragmatic, focusing on regulatory realities, operational readiness and smarter aggregation strategies rather than headline announcements.

For Zenith, success at ICE means building a strong pipeline of aligned partnerships that translate into meaningful growth across Brazil and the wider Latin American region throughout 2026 and beyond.