Ronald Díaz: “The Merkur Group has been successfully active in the gaming markets of Latin America for more than 12 years”
Ronald Díaz, general manager of Merkur Gaming Peru, shares insights into the company’s preparations for the Peru Gaming Show and upcoming product highlights.
Exclusive interview.- Focus Gaming News spoke to Ronald Diaz, general manager of Merkur Gaming Peru, about how the company is preparing for the upcoming Peru Gaming Show, the importance of the Latin American market and the topics that will dominate the discussion during the event.
How is Merkur preparing for the Peru Gaming Show?
As usual, we have been focusing a considerable amount of our energy and capacity on our trade fair presence at the Peru Gaming Show. We aim to present our new content and cabinet innovations in a perfect light and thereby excite our customers about our highly attractive portfolio.
We are expecting a large number of our customers from Peru and Latin America at our booth, which is why we are even more eager to ensure a perfect appearance at the trade show in Peru.
What topics of discussion do you think will be the most relevant during the expo?
I believe that the presence of the government (MINCETUR) at the conferences is crucial for maintaining the casino industry’s strong position and providing security to all investors. Additionally, having speakers from the legal and regulatory sectors is always highly engaging. Furthermore, considering today’s technological advancements, I find all the tools we can apply in the sector – both for land-based casinos and igaming – extremely interesting.
What products will be exhibited at the show? Can you anticipate new product highlights that will improve the gaming experience?
Our popular Jackpot Systems will be at the centre of our product presentation: In addition to the already well-known and favoured Merkur Mystery, the Linked Progressive novelties Link Zone Rush, Link Zone Lounge and Link Wave will spark enthusiasm on the Merkur exhibition floor. All these systems have one thing in common: nerve-wracking features that will bring jackpot fever to its peak at the PGS. We will also be showing our best side on the cabinet front, with the Zonic, available as a two- and three-monitor version, and the Mod Ex, our latest and unrivalled modular cabinet.
The company has recently attended the GAT in Cartagena and will attend the expo in Peru. What does the Latin American market mean to the company? And how do you analyse the expansion of the gaming industry in this region?
The Merkur Group has been successfully active in the gaming markets of Latin America for more than 12 years. Our subsidiaries in Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Argentina underline our commitment to these markets and the enormous potential they offer.
The business activities of the Merkur subsidiaries edict and GeWeTe are further proof of our commitment to this region. Despite recent years characterised by the effects of the post-Covid crisis, inflation and political unrest, the gaming industry in Latin America and the Caribbean has experienced significant expansion and growth, mainly due to the online sector, which includes sports betting and online casinos. This new sector is opening up promising new opportunities for the entire gaming industry, allowing gaming to flourish again in this region.
“The gaming industry in Latin America and the Caribbean has experienced significant expansion and growth, mainly due to the online sector.”
Ronald Díaz, general manager Merkur Gaming Peru.
A new chapter of the company’s history has been opened with the rebranding to Merkur Group. What does this new phase mean for the company?
The renaming to Merkur Group underlines the increasing internationalization of the company, which has gained a foothold in the international gaming markets with growing success over the past decades. It was therefore absolutely logical and important that the company name was now also internationalized. The integration of the Merkur brand into the firm’s name allows the entire organization to increasingly benefit from the radiance of the brand with its smiling Merkur sun.
Can you tell us about any new releases for the next months?
We are currently planning to introduce the Mod Ex to the Peruvian gaming market in further versions in addition to the already presented J-Curved model, enabling us to meet the needs of our customers even more closely. On top of this, our customers and their gaming guests will soon be able to enjoy our two top-notch Linked Progressives Link Wave and Clash Link.
Experience from previous trade fairs has shown that these two systems are incredibly well received and promise a great deal of gaming fun, which makes me extremely confident that they will also be enormously well received on the LatAm market.
