PayBrokers is one of the most important payment methods firms in the iGaming sector in Brazil. However, it has expanded and obtained a license to deploy a complete service platform for sports betting in the state of Paraná, in partnership with Skilrock. In an exclusive interview with GMB at G2E Las Vegas, CEO Edson Lenzi reveals that the company is in the integration phase with operators and believes that the state’s operation will be fully operational by the end of the month. GMB: How has your participation been here at the Global Game Expo, and what are your expectations for this trade show? Edson Lenzi: G2E is one of the most important trade shows in the global market, and it extends beyond the traditional markets we typically work in, helping us attract clients to bring to Brazil. We also see opportunities here in the regulated American market and other international operations. So, we view this trade show very positively. It’s our first time exhibiting here, and we are experiencing significant interest. All the global players are here, which is great for positioning ourselves in this market. Since you are eyeing the Brazilian market, there’s nothing better than talking to someone who understands, right? In this case, PayBrokers. Exactly. Our solution is aimed precisely at serving international companies exploring the Brazilian market. So, our clients are here. Have you noticed more clients due to your participation in the Global Gaming Expo? I believe so. We’re still on the second day, and we haven’t formally finalized any contracts yet, but many contacts from previous trade shows and such end up coming here, and the initial discussions happen. We’ll have to wait for the actual contract signings, but we view this very positively. This will allow us to convert these interactions into business and bring more operations to Brazil. PayBrokers is not just a payment methods company, as it now owns the platform that will start operating sports betting in Paraná in the coming days. Could you tell us a bit about how this process has been and how the pre-start phase is going? At Lottopar, we won a tender through the PayBrokers consortium, which is a combination of the PayBrokers system and Skilrock’s lottery management system. This contract was signed a few months ago, and the state has already accredited the actual operators. We are in the integration phase with the operators, and we believe that by the end of the month, the operation in the state of Paraná will be running at full capacity. What does the PayBrokers and Skilrock platform encompass? It includes a lottery management system where all transactions made by operators are automatically visible to Lottopar. This provides a high level of security for the state and the regulatory entity. In addition to this system, we have the payment solution, which is where our main expertise lies, handling the actual financial operations for deposits and withdrawals for the operators. With this, we can provide much greater security to the state, the operators, and the population in terms of the operators’ financial liquidity, responsible gaming, self-exclusion, anti-money laundering, and counter-terrorism financing. There are a set of rules already integrated into this system, ensuring the state adheres to legality and the best global practices in this niche market will be applied at Lottopar. With such a comprehensive platform and a payment methods company specialized in the Brazilian market, does it all come down to market and regulation now? We’ll have to wait and see how things unfold. Regarding regulation, we understand that some aspects deserve better emphasis, analysis, and discussion, but we know that everything is in good hands and will be thoroughly examined. The law has been officially published, and we hope these points will be carefully considered. The Senate has also presented several amendments, so it will likely return to the Chamber of Deputies. We’ll see how this progresses until the end of the year, and we’re always available to provide clarification and assistance as needed. From the perspective of financial transactions, you are already experts, and the provisional measure that has become the bill now in the Senate even foresees the action of the Central Bank for accreditation and licensing of companies that will handle financial intermediation. Are you ready for this? Yes, we are ready. Within our corporate group, we already have other companies that meet these requirements. Of course, not for Central Bank accreditation because the rules haven’t even been disclosed yet. But as soon as the rules are published, we are confident that we can comply with them because we believe these rules will be similar to what states are already implementing and will be international standards. We do not anticipate any restrictions on competition in the national market, leading to the exclusion of any players, whether in operator accreditation or payment processing. What are PayBrokers’ plans for the very near future that is approaching? We have the Payment Institution with direct connection to the Central Bank’s PIX system, and the entire infrastructure is ready for when regulation happens. When the market is regulated, we will be ready for it all. We will try to position ourselves in the best possible way to continue serving the operators, which are our main focus.
