Steven Valentine, Comtrade Gaming: “One of the biggest challenges in Brazil right now is player loyalty”

Shows & conferences - 23 April, 2026

During day three of SiGMA South America in Brazil, Focus Gaming News caught up with Steven Valentine, Chief Commercial Officer at Comtrade Gaming, to discuss the evolving igaming landscape in the region, Comtrade's strategic approach, and future plans.   Valentine began by reflecting on Brazil's regulated market, now two years in, admitting that its evolution has been somewhat unexpected. "I think we probably thought it was going to be a bit more explosive than it is," he stated, describing the current situation as a "slow buildup." He noted that local operators have been "a little bit more cautious than we thought they would be" in moving away from established local providers and adopting new technology. Despite this, Comtrade Gaming remains committed, with Valentine affirming, "we're going to be here for... next 10 or 20 years, so there's no rush."   Comtrade Gaming positions itself by bringing "European engineering excellence" to a market that currently lacks it. Valentine highlighted that their market-leading, modular igaming solution is gaining traction, as Brazilian operators "are starting to recognise the real need for great technology now."   A recent enhancement to their platform is the integration of gamification features, designed to boost player loyalty – a significant challenge in Brazil's nascent market. Valentine explained that with players "jumping from brand to brand to brand to brand all the time," gamification, including 'missions', helps "build that real brand loyalty where you're engaging your players on a daily basis, even on an hourly basis."   Regarding emerging trends, Valentine confirmed that Comtrade's existing technology fully supports prediction markets, treating them as "just another integration, no different than sports betting." He pointed out that the concept isn't new, citing Betfair's peer-to-peer betting from two decades ago.   Discussing popular integrations and player demographics in Latin America, particularly Brazil, Valentine observed a younger demographic seeking "faster engagement" and "quicker outcomes," which explains the success of crash games. In sports betting, football remains overwhelmingly dominant, accounting for "85 per cent of all bets." He also noted that sports betting often serves as an "on-ramp" to casino games and live game shows.   Looking ahead, Comtrade Gaming has an ambitious roadmap despite the initially slower market growth. Valentine revealed they have "a couple of really good operators in the pipeline now," whom they hope to onboard in the coming months. This move is expected to "re-energise our... Brazilian approach" and encourage other operators to follow suit. Comtrade has already established a Brazilian entity, complete with a local bank account, and plans to set up a physical office within the next 12 to 18 months. This office will serve as a central hub for their operations across the wider LatAm region, building on their existing team, which includes Brazilians both locally and in Slovenia. Valentine confirmed that the company is also likely to expand its presence to Mexico.