The Mexican Gaming Ecosystem Prepares for the World Cup

As the countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 officially begins, Mexico is experiencing tremendous excitement and momentum surrounding the gaming industry and online betting platforms. The proximity of the world’s largest sporting event, combined with the fact that Mexico is one of the tournament’s three host nations, has intensified the interest of operators, suppliers, and international brands seeking to strengthen their presence in the market. Alongside the digital boom, the in-person experience continues to play a leading role in the habits and imagination of the Mexican public. The country currently has more than 450 legally operating gaming venues across its territory, offering world-class entertainment in land-based casinos that are upgrading their sports books to welcome national and international fans this summer with an impressive and diverse lineup of entertainment.

Opening Networking Event at Big Bola Casino

The agenda begins on May 12 with the Opening Reception at Big Bola Casino Santa Fe, a networking space designed to encourage meetings among leading executives in an environment created and hosted by entertainment experts. The evening will mark the beginning of three days focused on business generation, commercial partnerships, and operational expansion during a historic and strategic moment for the massive Mexican market.

ALEA Seminar and Corporate Conferences

GAT Events’ commitment to promoting educational opportunities is reflected in the inclusion of the ALEA seminar within the official agenda, led by Professor Maximiliano Ayala, a specialist with extensive experience in transitioning traditional business models into omnichannel entertainment ecosystems. The training sessions will address casino transformation, customer experience enhancement, omnichannel integration, and the evolution of physical and digital entertainment. The academic sessions will take place on May 13 and 14 at Expo Santa Fe, with the participation of executives from licensed operators and sports betting companies. The educational agenda will also include corporate conferences presented by GLI, BETBY, GAMANZA ENGAGE, and BYADS.

Exhibition Floor

The exhibition will also take place on May 13 and 14 in Hall B of the Expo Santa Fe Convention Center. The exhibition floor will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., showcasing solutions for land-based casinos, online platforms, payment methods, sports betting, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and technologies applied to operations and customer retention.

Confirmed Sponsors and Exhibitors

Current registration figures indicate that business leaders from Mexico and 21 additional countries will attend, including representatives from the United States, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Spain, China, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, France, the Czech Republic, Chile, Ecuador, and Armenia. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with representatives from major sponsoring and exhibiting brands at Expo Santa Fe, including:

Pragmatic Play, Big Bola Casinos, Aristocrat, Merkur Gaming México, Betconstruct, GLI, Gamanza, Betby, BYADS, Bingazo, Prometeo IT, Oklahoma, Mentor Bet, SINTOLED, TumiPay, Fininvest, BYA Group, Amusnet, Eeze, Kandupay, BPC (Smart Vista AGE), Oracle, Profix Technologies, Pronto Paga, Cerus Academy, Great Games, KLU, Creator Tech Co, and Dragon Slaugther.

Central Central Gastronomic Networking

A very special event is scheduled for the afternoon of May 13 with a networking lunch at Central Central Restaurant, also located in the Santa Fe district, starting at 5:00 p.m. The “Gathering & Ronqueo” gastronomic experience has been designed to create and strengthen business relationships among executives and participating brands in a close and exclusive atmosphere with a privileged sunset view.

“GAT Expo Mexico, a Professional Gathering Tailored to the Market”

José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, states: “After the hard work we have carried out to adapt to the current reality of the gaming industry in Mexico in 2026, we are confident that we have found the precise format — highly commercial and aligned with the current needs of the Mexican market — offering express, practical, and tailor-made solutions. In addition, we continue advancing our goal of promoting educational initiatives for industry professionals throughout Latin America. I am pleased to announce that we reached a very important alliance with ALEA to deliver a high-level certified seminar focused on omnichannel integration. I thank SINTOLED, AIEJA, and major and medium-sized casino groups in Mexico for their interest in this course, which brings invaluable content to the sector. Likewise, my recognition goes to the sponsors of GAT CDMX: Pragmatic Play, Big Bola, and Aristocrat. In the same way, I would like to highlight Merkur Mexico’s participation with its extraordinary portfolio of casino machines and Prometeo IT with its innovations for land-based and online casinos.”

GAT Expo CDMX 2026 thus reinforces its proposal as a commercial showcase for direct interaction among industry leaders, with an agenda designed to facilitate productive meetings and real business opportunities in the Mexican market.

Expo Santa Fe, Mexico City

May 12, 13 & 14, 2026

More information, tickets, and registration: https://www.gatevents.net/cdmx/

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