The prospects of developing and implementing a multi-jurisdictional lottery for the LatAm region will be one of the key topics debated amongst thought leaders and stakeholders at the forthcoming Juegos Miami (May 31st – June 2nd, The Biltmore, Miami). Described by Tiburcio Perdomo, commercial director for the National Lottery of the Dominican Republic, as being of ‘transcendental importance,’ such an initiative would serve to unite a region which has a population of more than 550 million and, thanks to a common protocol of systems and regulations, help in the battle to combat illegal gambling and money laundering.
The concept of a multijurisdictional lottery can be traced back nearly a decade as Tiburcio Perdomo explained: “In December 2008, I moved to Spain to begin negotiations with the authorities of SELAE (Lottery of the State of Spain) that allowed us to develop and market different games in the country, with the “Gordo de la Primitiva” Lotus type attracting us most.
“Discussions with the Spanish lottery authorities, led by its then-President Gonzalo Fernández and Commercial Director Juan Gallardo, revolved around the creation of a multi-jurisdictional game to be marketed from the Dominican Republic, where SELAE would put the technology and the initial float. The game began on February 18, 2013, with a guaranteed minimum pot of five million euros and bets at 1.5 euros. For reasons beyond our control, a change of authorities in the Spanish lottery aborted this beautiful project after a year of initiation.”
Whilst subsequent discussions have centred around cooperation between countries whose lottery sectors are at different stages of development and which are travelling at different speeds, Tiburcio Perdomo believes in the importance of agreeing a strategic plan for the region that allows the updating of gaming systems to new technologies and social networks in order for lotteries to become an instrument for economic advancement. He said: “Speaking in my personal capacity at Juegos Miami, I believe it is important to discuss how the industry can harness technological advances for the improvement of the gaming industry in the region, so we can develop advanced lottery systems that will benefit bettors and achieve greater development for the peoples of the region.”