Victor Arias, VP of LatAm at ARRISE: “LatAm will write its own story”

Victor Arias, VP of LatAm at ARRISE powering Pragmatic Play, spoke with Focus Gaming News about Latin America’s growing influence on igaming.

Exclusive interview.- Since Brazil emerged as one of the most promising markets for the igaming industry in Latin America, the region has continued to grow.

To gain insight into the evolution of the LatAm market, the habits of players in the region, and the trends that will dominate the sector next year, Focus Gaming News spoke with Victor Arias, VP of LatAm at ARRISE powering Pragmatic Play.

By 2026, how will LatAm shape the global igaming industry, and which shifts in player habits, payments, and mobile access will most influence operator growth—and how should the ecosystem respond?

LatAm is moving from “high-potential” to “playbook-setting.” The region’s scale and cultural diversity are turning it into a proving ground for creator-led discovery, cross-vertical journeys (slots → crash → live casino), and trusted local payment rails. 

By 2026, expect shorter but more frequent sessions, community-driven discovery, and the dominance of instant, low-friction rails (e.g., PIX in Brazil, SPEI in Mexico, and PSE in Colombia) alongside wallets and cash-in networks. The key to success is pairing native support for local methods and rapid payouts with fast, well-optimised software, robust live streaming, and clear, localised KYC. Commercially, the edge comes from CRM that targets micro-segments around cultural and sports moments, plus creator partnerships and on-site micro-tournaments that compound acquisition and retention (for example, we already drive this through our Enhance promotional tool). In short: LatAm won’t be influenced by the industry—it will write its own story.

“LatAm is moving from ‘high-potential’ to ‘playbook-setting’.”

Victor Arias, VP of LatAm at ARRISE powering Pragmatic Play.

How do you combine rapid iteration, deep localisation, and premium quality so the portfolio performs equally well in emerging and mature markets?

We combine global and regional strategy cycles with local talent. Our LatAm team shortens the distance between market insight and product launch, allowing us to optimise math models, UX flows, art, audio, and even country-level preferences while keeping core gameplay consistent. Quality at Pragmatic Play is a non-negotiable, not an afterthought: every title clears market-specific QA, independent certifications, and campaigns planned and reviewed by our local teams.

We validate with operators in-market, learn quickly through creator and community touchpoints, and iterate without breaking trust. The result is content that’s premium by design, local in execution, and consistent in performance across both emerging markets and the region’s more mature ones. 

In an increasingly competitive landscape, how does Pragmatic Play position itself to remain not just relevant, but essential to operators’ strategies?

By being a high-performance partner, not just a catalogue. Pragmatic Play’s single integration spans Slots, Live Casino, Bingo, Virtual Sports, Sportsbook, and now Arcade games, giving operators breadth with a predictable release cadence.

Enhance drives measurable retention and reactivation for co-run campaigns, while Smart Studio delivers brand-authentic live experiences without reinventing the wheel. We co-plan roadmaps, share market intelligence, and adhere to operational SLAs—uptime, incident response, and local, in-timezone support. The outcome is a win–win: operators deliver the best service to their players, and the provider integrates top titles, standout campaigns, and high-impact tools quickly and easily. 

Beyond products, how is Pragmatic Play contributing to shaping the industry’s identity in new markets through branding, education, or partnerships?

In Latin America, we have a dedicated, on-the-ground team -from Account Managers to Marketing- with deep industry knowledge and cultural fluency in each country. Every touchpoint, from co-marketing to partner training, translates into consistent, premium execution. That discipline underpins Pragmatic Play’s prestige and lets us turn market insight into brand, education, and partnership programmes that truly move the needle.