The former Pragmatic Play LATAM executive joins FIRST.bet to lead its commercial strategy in a region the company has identified as a key focus for its expansion.
FIRST.bet, a sportsbook technology provider, has announced the appointment of Victor Arias as VP of LATAM & Head of Commercial LATAM, where he will lead the company’s commercial strategy across Latin America.
Arias joins FIRST.bet from Pragmatic Play, where he joined in 2020 to establish and develop the company’s Latin America hub. During his tenure, he led the company’s regional expansion and the development of teams and operations adapted to the different markets across the continent.
His experience in the iGaming industry spans nearly two decades and includes roles across both B2C and B2B. Before joining Pragmatic Play, Arias also worked at Salsa Technology, where he focused on business development across Latin America.
A strategy built around local markets
The appointment comes as FIRST.bet strengthens its focus on Latin America and continues to develop its regional hub and local teams.
The company says its localisation strategy extends beyond adapting a product to Spanish or Portuguese. It also encompasses localised service, trading, content and teams, with the aim of addressing the specific characteristics of each regulated market.
FIRST.bet already operates localised technology across regulated jurisdictions in the region, with Brazil playing a central role in its Latin American strategy.
For Arias, the new role represents an opportunity to apply the regional experience he developed during his time in the casino sector to the sportsbook vertical, working across markets with different growth rates, regulatory frameworks and player profiles.
Working alongside Tom Light, Founder and CEO of FIRST.bet, Arias will lead the company’s efforts to expand its presence in the Latin American sports betting market.
Building on regional commercial relationships
Market knowledge and established relationships with operators across the region will also be central to Arias’ new role.
Tom Light, Founder and CEO of FIRST.bet, said:
“LATAM has to be serviced by LATAM. That is how we are building the business, and Victor has run that playbook at the highest level already. He knows these markets are not one market. Having him lead our commercial effort in the region is the strongest signal we can send about how seriously we take it.”
Amram Vita, Chief Commercial Officer at FIRST.bet, also highlighted Arias’ experience and the relationships he has developed through years of working with Latin American operators.
“Commercially, Latin America is where some of the sharpest growth in this industry is happening, and it is not won from a distance. Victor has spent years earning the trust of the operators who set the pace in these markets. Having him running our commercial effort in the region changes the conversations we can have and the speed at which we can develop them.”
Victor Arias: “The opportunity in Latin America is immense”
Following his appointment, Arias highlighted his experience across the region and the opportunity he sees for FIRST.bet.
“I am honoured to take on Latin America for FIRST.bet. This is a market I know deeply, having led Pragmatic Play’s growth into a leading provider in the region, and the opportunity here is immense. We are bringing Tier-1 sportsbook technology together with a completely localised strategy. The goal is ambitious but simple: to make FIRST.bet the number one sports betting partner in Latin America, with a truly local identity.”
With the appointment, FIRST.bet aims to strengthen its regional structure and advance a commercial strategy built around the specific characteristics of Latin American markets.
