The second edition of the event brings together authorities, operators, suppliers and gaming industry leaders in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the Americas on September 9, with an agenda focused on regulation, innovation, technology and market development.
GAT Expo Puerto Rico 2026 officially opens today at the Grand Ballroom of The Condado Plaza Hotel, bringing together authorities, regulators, operators, manufacturers, suppliers and industry professionals for a full day of commercial exhibition, conferences and networking.
Organized by GAT Events, the second edition of the San Juan event brings together a range of business and educational activities designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and create opportunities between local and international industry stakeholders.
The day will begin with participant registration and accreditation. At 10:00 a.m., the official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place, led by the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission and its Executive Director, Juan Carlos Santaella, together with José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, authorities and representatives of participating companies.
The commercial exhibition will feature Novomatic, Fortune Group Games, EAS Systems, EEZE, Counting Equipment & Supplies, Bad Dog Games, TVC Gaming, Bloomcrest, Caribbean Gaming Technologies, Royal Gaming Logistics, Amusnet Interactive, Hipódromo Camarero, Prometeo, Oklahoma, Caribe Gaming, Gem Solutions and Caribbean Gaming Distributors.
The exhibition will also showcase cabinets and equipment from international brands including IGT, Win Systems and EGT, available at the Royal Gaming Logistics area on level 2 of The Condado Plaza Hotel.
GAT Talks Focuses on Regulation and Innovation
Starting at 11:00 a.m., GAT Talks will present an educational agenda examining the current development of Puerto Rico’s gaming market and its future outlook.
At 11:10 a.m., Juan Carlos Santaella will deliver the keynote “Puerto Rico: From Today’s Market to Tomorrow’s Industry,” addressing the current landscape and potential expansion of regulated gaming segments on the island.
At 11:40 a.m., Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) will present “Puerto Rico: Leading the Evolution of Regulated Gaming in the Caribbean,” delivered by José Carlos Figueroa, Regional Manager for the Caribbean.
One of the morning’s key sessions will be the panel “The Next Move: Innovation, Regulation and the Future in Puerto Rico,” organized by the Puerto Rico Government Gaming Commission. The discussion will be moderated by Lorraine Irizarry, Director of the Commission’s Games of Chance Bureau, with Julio Rivera, Director of the Sports Betting Bureau; Javier Soto, General Manager of Cage Puerto Rico, Inc.; and Liza García, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.
The panel will explore public and private sector perspectives on innovation, regulation and market development, as well as the challenges facing the industry as it continues to evolve.
Following the scheduled break from 12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., the program will resume with Jaime Rivera, former Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission and partner at Saiber LLC, who will deliver “Multiple Laws, One Industry: The Legal Framework for Gaming in Puerto Rico.”
Amusnet will then take part in GAT Talks with the Master Class “Slot Product Analysis,” presented by Daniel Arias, Amusnet’s Director for the Caribbean, Colombia and Central America. The session will examine slot product management and development from both technical and strategic perspectives.
At 3:00 p.m., José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, will moderate “The DNA of Gaming in Puerto Rico: A Retrospective and a Sustainable Future.” The panel will bring together representatives from different industry verticals to discuss the evolution of lotteries, horse racing, route-based machines, casinos and sports betting.
Participants will include María Cristina Mari García, Vice President of Hipódromo Camarero; Lorna Huertas, advisor to the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission and former Assistant Secretary of the Lottery Bureau; Jaime Alex Irizarry, Director of Operations at Royal Gaming Logistics; Joe Fernández, President and Co-Founder of Ballers Sportbook; and Eric Rodríguez, Director of Casino Foxwoods.
Aguirre said the session aims to continue creating opportunities for dialogue between authorities, operators and suppliers while encouraging a more integrated view of the industry.
“Trust and credibility in what we do are today our most valuable capital,” the GAT Events CEO said, highlighting the importance of creating spaces to hear different industry perspectives and promote new opportunities for collaboration.
A Full Day of Business and Networking
GAT Expo Puerto Rico 2026 features the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission as Main Sponsor, Novomatic as Platinum Sponsor and Aristocrat as Exclusive Sponsor.
Hipódromo Camarero, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), Royal Gaming Logistics, Gamanza and Mobadoo are also participating as special sponsors.
The exhibition will remain open throughout the day, giving attendees the opportunity to explore technology, products and services designed for Puerto Rico’s regulated market, while also holding meetings and identifying potential partnerships with local and international companies.
“GAT Expo Puerto Rico represents our commitment to the growth of a regulated, innovative and integrated industry, here and in every jurisdiction where we hold GAT Events,” said José Aníbal Aguirre. “Today, important local and international stakeholders are gathering in San Juan to share knowledge, generate business and strengthen ties between Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and other markets across the Americas.”
The event will conclude at 7:00 p.m. with a closing cocktail sponsored by Hipódromo Camarero, providing participants with a final networking opportunity following the second edition of GAT Expo Puerto Rico.
