With decades of experience and business in the sector, Crystal spoke about this new moment for Las Vegas as a headquarters for sporting teams and events with a global reach.
“In my 35 years in the industry, I have spent most of my time based in Las Vegas. I have operated casinos here since 2000, so I have seen first-hand the growth of early casinos and now sports betting in the United States.”
“We have Formula 1, the Superbowl, NBA, MLB, among others. So, Las Vegas became the capital of American sports, in addition to gaming. This is all very exciting,”
Furthermore, he believes that Brazil can follow the United States’ example. “50 years ago, casinos were open in only two states around here; they are now in 42 states. I think something very similar will happen soon in Brazil.”
And he declared: “What happened last year was historic after decades without regulation. It is a matter of time before Brazil also starts looking at casinos. I think Brazil has the chance to become the new gaming capital of the world.”
According to the interviewee, Brazil has unique characteristics, such as a significant population base . In addition, it has sports betting and online gaming legislation valid for the entire national territory.
“Regulation allows investments to be made in Brazil. The best companies from Europe and the United States will try to enter the country in partnership with Brazilian entrepreneurs and companies.”
“It is not ideal to bring something from elsewhere to Brazil. The objective is to understand the Brazilian market and what the local market wants. Eventually, there will be things that the USA and Europe can learn from Brazil”, he added.
Finally, Stephen Crystal was emphatic when stating that “the opportunity will be greater on the first day in Brazil than in the United States”.
