Carlos Fonseca: “At PGS it will be interesting to show how the public and private sectors can work together for a common interest”

Attorney Carlos Fonseca Sarmientopartner of Fonseca Abogados LLC and specialist in gambling legislation in Peru and Latin America, will take part as a speaker in the next edition of the Peru Gaming Show (PGS), as well as in the First International Gaming Law Congress, events that will take place in the capital Lima.

In an interview with Yogonetthe specialist emphasized that important information could be obtained during both events for all stakeholders in the land-based and online gaming sector in Peru and Latin Americaboth from the commercial, academic and legal side.

As for the panel, it will moderate PGS 2024 – which will focus on iGaming in Peru and will include Peruvian regulator Yuri Guerra and Apuesta Total CEO Gonzalo Pérez – Fonseca said it will be “interesting to show the public the strengths of this regulated economic sector and how the public and private sectors can work together towards a common interest.”

June is an important month for the gaming sector in Peru, with PGS 2024 and the Gaming Law Congress. What are your expectations for the discussions that will take place during both events?

PGS 2024 is the most important gaming industry event in Peru and one of the main events in Latin America. It is addressed to all people related to this industry and has a commercial and educational side. In turn, the International Law Congress, which is being held for the first time in Latin America, is exclusively academic and legal in nature. The focus is on lawyers and undoubtedly will stimulate technical debates aimed at improving gambling regulations in Peru and Latin America.

At PGS 2024, you will participate in a panel on the regulation of the Internet sector in Peru, with Yuri Guerra and Gonzalo Perez. What can participants expect from the discussion?

It will be interesting to show the public the strengths of this regulated economic sector and how the public and private sectors can work together towards a common interest, which is intended to ensure the integrity of the gambling industry and promote the positive externalities that this activity can generate. The synergy of the public and private sectors is of fundamental importance here.

The General Directorate of Casino Games and Slot Machines returns to the open door policy of the San Roman engineer. The current regulator, Yuri Guerra, is one of the oldest and most technically experienced at Mincetur, so we are confident that he will lead this hard work to transition from a free activity to a regulated activity in an appropriate way and without creating unnecessary costs for the agents involved in this activity (laboratories, suppliers and operators) and ensuring the protection of the public interest.

The PGS 2024 fair is unique because it will be the first edition after the entry into force of the Act regulating distance gaming and sports betting, which took place in February this year. There will likely be a record number of participants, most of them from abroad. Then, The industry’s eyes will be on Peru, and during this panel, regulators Yuri Guerra and Gonzalo Perez will have the perfect opportunity to explain why Peru’s gaming industry is a mature, orderly and regulated activity.

Both events take place as part of the normalization process of the Internet sector in Peru. How much did this context influence the scientific agenda of the Gaming Law Congress?

The organization of this event was influenced by the adoption of the act regulating the operation of remote games and sports bettingwhich will be produced by the renowned Advocatus magazine, run by students of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lima.

Lawyers and law students have great expectations of learning a little more about this legal discipline that we might call “gambling law.” And the topics to be discussed are important from a legal point of view due to their topicality and content. In addition, they will be explained by the most famous lawyers in Latin America.

Learning about the gambling regulation process in Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia from its heroes – such as Neil Montgomery, Carlos Portilla, Santiago Alban and Juan Camilo Turbay – is a luxury. Listening to Tomás García Botta, who is not only a gaming lawyer but also an accomplished Argentine tax lawyer, or Carlos Baezawhich closely follows the discussion on gaming taxes in Chile, it will be useful for all of us to know what proper gaming taxation should look like.

There will also be presentations on various types of gambling games. As Colombia and Peru have seen major regulatory developments in the field of slot machines, these topics will be discussed by those who are most familiar with the regulations on this issue in these jurisdictions, Tatiana Vásquez and Constante Traverso. The same applies to casino games in which two experts, Fernando Calderón, President of SONAJA of Peru and Jaime Rivera, former Director of the Gaming Commission of Puerto Ricowill shed light on one of the most impressive gambling games.

Another game that requires in-depth study is the lotterywhere there are not many experts, and for this purpose Sergio Poves, La Tinka lawyer, AND Agustín Díaz from Argentina will be present. Juan Camilo Carrasco, for whom this topic is his daily work in Colombia, and Augusto Paulet, who participated in the creation of the first drafts of Peruvian law, will share a lot of useful information on the very current topic of remote gaming.

There is an issue of great importance to this industry, which appears to justify many regulations of this activity: guaranteeing the integrity of the gaming industry. And we have it for that Gonzalo Perez, CEO of Apuesta Totalone of the most active businessmen in the industry who will share the businessman’s vision regarding the social responsibility of this activity and our great friend Karen Sierra, who, apart from being a lawyer, is one of the main promoters of the fair play guarantee through certification of technical standards. The table is set for those who want to learn more about gambling law.

Important markets in the region, many of which are in the regulatory phase, will also be discussed. What will be the main topic of discussion?

We have the opportunity to learn from their heroes about the process of regulating the main markets of Latin America, which is why specific conferences will be held on what happened and what is currently happening in Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico. In addition to the various categories of gambling, national and international experts will present their perspectives on the most controversial aspects of their regulation.