Gustavo Hiroshi, Zenith: “Success in Brazil comes down to strong content, reliable performance and local understanding”
Gustavo Hiroshi, business development manager at Zenith, discusses OneAPI’s expansion across the Americas, Brazil’s rapidly evolving regulated market, and how data-driven aggregation and localisation are shaping operator competitiveness in South America.
Exclusive interview.- As the industry prepares for SiGMA South America 2026, the region continues to solidify its position as one of the fastest-growing and most competitive igaming markets globally. From Brazil’s newly regulated landscape to expanding opportunities across emerging jurisdictions, operators are increasingly focused on scalability, localisation and performance-driven strategies.
In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Gustavo Hiroshi, business development manager at Zenith, talks about the company’s recent integrations through OneAPI, the lessons learnt from Brazil’s first year of regulation, and Zenith’s priorities as competition intensifies across South America. He also explains how aggregation, data analytics and commercial flexibility are helping operators strengthen their market position and build sustainable growth strategies.
Zenith has achieved several major integrations on the OneAPI aggregator in the past year. What does the solution offer operators in the Americas?
OneAPI is designed to give operators access to scale without introducing unnecessary complexity. Through a single integration, partners can connect to more than 10,000 games from over 60 providers, removing the need to manage multiple direct integrations with individual studios. This significantly reduces both technical workload and operational cost, while allowing operators to expand their content offering far more efficiently.
In practical terms, this enables operators to build and adapt their portfolios quickly, which is particularly important in fast-growing markets such as Brazil where competition is intensifying and player expectations are rising. Access to high-performing titles from leading providers, including studios such as PG Soft, allows operators to maintain a strong and relevant offering that supports both acquisition and retention.
At the same time, the simplicity of the integration ensures that operators can focus on performance and commercial strategy rather than infrastructure, which becomes increasingly important as markets move into a more mature and competitive phase.
What other platform capabilities meet the needs of operators in the region?
Beyond aggregation, operators are increasingly focused on how data can be used to drive performance. Our platform includes analytics tools that provide clear visibility into player behaviour and game performance, allowing operators to make more informed decisions around content selection, marketing strategy and overall player engagement.
Speed to market is also particularly relevant in highly competitive environments where the ability to deploy new content quickly can make a tangible difference. Our integration model supports fast onboarding and deployment, with content going live in a matter of days, allowing operators to keep their offering aligned with current demand without delays.
What have you learnt from Brazil so far?
The first year of regulation in Brazil has been particularly encouraging, and we’ve observed as the market establishes itself as one of the most exciting markets globally. As a digitally native population, there is strong player demand and a rapidly expanding operator landscape. What has become clear over the past year is how performance-driven the market has become, both from an operator and player perspective.
Brazilian players tend to favour fast-paced, visually engaging content built around simple and intuitive mechanics. This has contributed to the strong performance of certain slot formats, as well as the continued rise of crash-style games. At the same time, mobile-first behaviour dominates, meaning that platform performance, load speed and user experience play a central role in retention.
Localisation is also a defining factor that has determined whether an operator sees longevity in the region. Language, currency and culturally relevant content all have a direct impact on engagement, and operators that fail to align with these expectations struggle to compete effectively. Overall, success in Brazil comes down to combining strong content with reliable platform performance and a clear understanding of local player behaviour.
What are Zenith’s main priorities across South America at the moment?
Our focus across South America is centred on strengthening the foundations that allow operators to compete effectively in both emerging and regulated markets. This includes expanding our content network through additional provider partnerships, ensuring that operators have access to a broader and more relevant range of titles.
At the same time, we are continuing to enhance localisation capabilities across key markets, recognising that each jurisdiction requires a tailored approach in terms of content, language and player experience. Supporting operators with fast, scalable and reliable technology remains a priority, particularly as more markets move towards structured regulatory frameworks.
Building long-term relationships with operators entering newly regulated jurisdictions is also an important part of our strategy, as these markets require a more considered and structured approach to growth.
“We are continuing to enhance localisation capabilities across key markets, recognising that each jurisdiction requires a tailored approach in terms of content, language and player experience.”
Gustavo Hiroshi, business development manager at Zenith.
How are you strengthening partners’ competitiveness?
Competitiveness today is driven by a combination of content quality, commercial structure and execution. Through OneAPI, operators can access both global and regional content through a single integration, allowing them to build portfolios that are both diverse and aligned with local demand.
We also place a strong emphasis on commercial terms, ensuring that partners can access high-performing content at competitive rates. This becomes particularly important in regulated markets where margins are under increasing pressure. Our scale allows us to offer some of the most competitive commercial rates in the market, particularly on in-demand providers such as PG Soft, giving operators a meaningful advantage when managing cost structures.
In addition, faster content deployment allows operators to keep their platforms up to date, while data-driven insights help refine marketing strategies and improve player retention. Localisation support, including language and currency alignment, further strengthens the ability to deliver experiences that resonate with players across different markets.
“Competitiveness today is driven by a combination of content quality, commercial structure and execution.”
Gustavo Hiroshi, business development manager at Zenith.
How do you ensure well-curated aggregation content that meets audience interests?
Aggregation gives access to a broad range of content, but what matters is understanding what actually performs within each market and building around that. Through OneAPI and GamesAPI, we combine broad access with the ability to tailor portfolios based on real performance data. Operators can either leverage the full aggregation layer or take a more selective approach, choosing specific studios or titles that align with their strategy and target audience.
Player behaviour and engagement metrics play a central role in this process, helping identify which games, mechanics and themes are delivering results. This allows operators to build portfolios that reflect local preferences rather than relying on generic global catalogues.
When combined with competitive commercial terms for leading providers, this approach ensures that operators are not only offering the right content but doing so in a way that supports long-term performance and sustainability.
