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Our dear friend Rebecca Liggero Fontana of CalvinAyre.com recently had a chance to sit down with BetCRIS CEO, JD Duarte to discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has been impacting their business.
The company, which has been in business since 1986 and focuses most heavily on the Latin American market, has come a long way in the 15 years since Rebecca first visited their San Jose, Costa Rica-based offices along with the Gambling911.com crew (Rebecca's friend G911 reporter Jenny Woo included). Rebecca was able to reconnect virtually with Mr. Duarte.
"Table tennis has been a Godsend," Duarte says. But outside of this sport there hasn't been much else to wager on besides eSports and simulations.
"A large portion of our customer base has gone to sleep. They are definitely thinking about other things, healthwise especially."
Other verticals like the online casino and horse racing have enticed some customers to stay active. Prior to the pandemic, 90% of the betting was on sports. The company had already been looking at expanding its portfolio outside the realm of sports. Covid-19 simply forced the acceleration of this process.
The Latin American market loves soccer. There has been some good news of late with the German Bundesliga set to return in the coming days and Spain's La Liga June 1.
"American sports is also a big important part of their diet as well. Every little thing helps. The surprises with table tennis, I believe a lot of operators are reporting the same behavior, especially with the streaming, has been a pleasant surprise with our customers."
Watch above for more of the interview.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
