January 15, 2025
GAT Events will unveil its 2025 calendar to the international gaming community at ICE Barcelona, featuring five key events in Colombia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, along with the announcement of its expansion to Puerto Rico and the launch of the Latin American Gaming Associations Summit in Mexico City during GAT Expo Mexico.
José Aníbal Aguirre and Alexandra Hernández will be available to meet with new and long-standing clients at booth MC42 at Fira Barcelona from January 20-22. As leaders of some of the most productive and influential events in Latin America and the Caribbean, they will share details of GAT Expo’s 2025 tour across the region and the numerous participation opportunities these events offer.
GAT Events 2025 Calendar:
- GAT Expo Cartagena: April 28-30, Centro de Convenciones Las Américas, Colombia
- GAT Expo San Juan: June 26, Hipódromo de San Juan, Puerto Rico
- GAT Expo Mexico: August 28-29, Expo Santa Fe, Mexico City, Mexico
- GAT Expo Bogotá: September 18, Marriott Salitre Hotel, Colombia
- GAT Expo Santo Domingo: November 6-7, Renaissance Jaragua Hotel & Casino, Dominican Republic
GAT Expo San Juan, Puerto Rico
On June 26, GAT will debut an exclusive commercial exhibition at GAT Expo San Juan, expanding its reach within the Caribbean and Antilles.
José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT, remarked, “Last September at GAT Santo Domingo, we had the opportunity to exchange ideas with Juan Carlos Santaella Marchán, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission. We learned that online gaming and sports betting have been regulated in Puerto Rico since 2019, under a legal framework that ensures transparency. A regulatory update for slot machines is currently underway to provide enhanced security for both operators and players.”
He added, “Given the strong commercial ties between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, companies and brands from the Dominican Republic, such as Raza Carreras, will play a significant role at GAT Expo San Juan. Considering the island’s passion for equestrian sports, we have chosen a prominent racetrack in Puerto Rico’s capital as the venue. We invite providers and operators interested in exploring business opportunities in Puerto Rico to join us for this unique exhibition day.”
The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission recently announced progress on the implementation of regulations for slot machine operations. This will reduce licensing costs for advanced technology slots and renew licenses. The tax revenue from this initiative will support the island’s police retirement fund.
GAT Expo Mexico and Latin American Gaming Associations Summit
At the close of 2024, GAT hosted its final event in Cancun, which marked the launch of GAT Expo Mexico, scheduled for August 28-29, 2025, in Mexico City, in collaboration with AIEJA.
The Cancun event reinvigorated Mexico’s gaming industry, which had not hosted in-person fairs for 12 years. The industry is now experiencing a period of growth fueled by the digital revolution in online gaming and efforts to replace outdated 1947 legislation with a modern legal framework.
A key outcome from Cancun’s conference series was the proposal to host the Latin American Gaming Associations Summit at GAT Expo Mexico. This summit will serve as a platform for associations across the region to collaborate on regulatory alignment, fostering legal operations, promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR), and ensuring sustainable industry growth.
Leaders like Miguel Ángel Ochoa (AIEJA), Yamile Gutiérrez (ADOBAD RD), and Fernando Calderón (SONAJA Peru) have pledged their support, encouraging participation from all gaming associations in Latin America.
The Expanding Gaming Ecosystem
GAT Events continues to attract companies eager to showcase technological innovations in payment methods, cybersecurity, casino management, and artificial intelligence. The ecosystem’s growth has also included four consecutive years of hosting esports events, with tournaments and academic sessions. This initiative will continue at GAT Expo Cartagena in April, in collaboration with the Colombian Olympic Committee and Colombian Official eSports.
At ICE Barcelona, the GAT team will also engage in a dedicated meeting on Latin American esports, led by William Harding, Head of Esports at Clarion Gaming.
A Historic Moment at ICE Barcelona
“ICE being held in Barcelona, with its deep cultural ties to our Latin roots, sends a powerful message and marks a historic moment,” said José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT. “It inspires us to continue working toward the integration and legality of the gaming industry in the region. We thank ICE and Liliana Costa for their hospitality and dedication to this cause.”
To schedule a meeting at ICE Barcelona, contact: marketing@gatexpo.net, info@gatexpo.net.
