The people who have seen gaming development in the Latin American region are aware that along with countries like Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, Colombian casinos have been part of the entertainment industry for some thirty years. So it is not surprising to see that FADJA, the second major expo in the Latin American region, will celebrate its tenth anniversary at this year’s event on the 2nd and 3rd of April.

Jose Anibal Aguirre who heads 3A Productions – the organizer of FADJA, which is the acronym for the Andes Gaming Expo – has done much to defend the interests of the domestic industry in Colombia. He maintains the event’s position as a leading show in the region by being up to date with the operation, manufacture, distribution and representation of leading world industry brands.

FADJA is focused on increasing business for its clients, and on strengthening relationships with the public sector and the local and international government agencies that make economic activity possible. In this respect the show has the support of regional and national associations and NGOs for countries in the region, such as FECEAZAR, FEDELCO, FECOLJUEGOS, CAMAZAR, ALAJA, ASCABI, CAVEBIN, FOUNDATION EXPORT and CAIJA.

Last year was a watershed year for FADJA when it reached important agreements on cooperation in marketing and advertising with Reed Exhibitions AGA (American Gaming Association), organizers of the largest world fair the Global Gaming Expo (G2E). Contrary to official US State policy, AGA has seen the importance of the Latin American event in the region and is fostering an exchange of contacts in each other’s events.

In line with modern gaming expos, during the course of the Bogota event Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) will be taking part with GLI Director of Development Bill Treger’s conference on “Online Systems” at 11 am on April 2 at the Corferias Expo Centre. Amongst other key participants in the conference event are John Gevisser, Betstone CEO from England, who will talk on “Server-based Games,” and David Hernández from the College of Southern Nevada, USA who will speak on “Casino Space Administration” and “Games Mathematics.”

We asked Jose Anibal Aguirre about the progress of FADJA over the past ten years.

CI: No disrespect, but Colombia does seem like an unusual country to be able to stage a gaming show on its 10th Anniversary. Just how did you manage it?
JAA: It was really hard at the beginning. You’ve no idea how hard it was, but I must thank the people who had faith in our efforts and who are still supporting us. Excellent companies like Cash Code, Atronic, Recreativos Franco, Mundo Video, Heal Technology and Colombia’s regulators ETESA.

CI: Great companies, indeed. How many exhibitors will be present to celebrate ten years with you?
JAA: The Andean trade show brings together around 150 companies that offer the best products and services for the region, and starting with our sponsors Betstone from your country England, please put their names in big red letters for me! To mention some of them in no particular order: IGT, Novomatic, Octavian, CashCode, GPI, Casino Technology, WMS Gaming, Orion Gaming, Alfastreet, Konami, Atronic, Ainsworth, TCSJOHNHUXLEY, R. Franco America, FutureLogic, Electrochance, Gold Club, Bally, JCM, VGT, ID Interactive, ELO Touch,  Suzo, Shuffle Master, Mundo Video, PMV, Signs 4U, Heal Technology, Innovation Games, Boss Gaming, Merkur and many more.
CI: That’s very impressive, and I expect that in ten years you’ve just kept on growing along with the industry. Now, will you let us know the secret of your success?
JAA: Well, it’s no secret, really – just hard work and more hard work. During the year, at 3A Productions we visit many countries and companies. For instance, we visited Panama and Peru extensively this year and spoke primarily to operators and the local regulators. In Peru we have managed to establish a direct bonding with our expo clients and operating friends to guarantee the participation of an important group of Peruvian industrialists, who will be launching some of their best products for the Andean region, within the framework of FADJA 2008.

CI: You market the Andean region countries but you have a decidedly bigger scope, especially with the Gaming Business Round product you launched two years ago. Can you explain this approach?
JAA: For a long time we have been receiving visitors from operations in casinos and bingos from Panama, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, and now get visitors from as far as Argentina and Europe. Not in great numbers, but significantly so. Two years ago we decided to experiment with a small gathering called Gaming Business Round in Venezuela and Ecuador, where companies would present their products without exhibits. As the events were welcomed by the local operators, we continued last year and during FADJA 2008 in April we shall launch our GBR for Chile and Aruba, which will take place in September 2008 and February 2009 respectively.

CI: It’s interesting to see that you also visited Panama, which along with Colombia and Peru shows the largest growth for equipment in the region. Who did you meet in Panama?
JAA: My first port of call was the office of the Panama Gaming Control Board where Raul Cortizo assured us that he will attend our tenth anniversary celebrations next month in Bogota. I also visited Juan Carlos Restrepo, Codere director; Helios Navarro from Cirsa; Alberto Polo, Operations Manager of Fiesta Casinos; and José María Santamaría from Royal Casino. Along with Antonio Alfaro president of ASAJA, the operators’ organization, all will be our guests in Bogota.

CI: Lastly, please tell me about a book launch at FADJA 2008. Is this a book about casino gaming?
JAA: In Colombia we have a guy called Guillermo “El Mago” Dávila, who has been a racing reporter for about 55 years. This guy is an institution and with another journalist, who is also a lawyer and short story writer, they have written a novel called “En Tierra Derecha”. The book is about the world of the ‘Sport of Kings,’ and I expect the title refers to running the straight (derecha) and narrow! I am told that this is the first time that Colombian literature deals with the racing world.  The book will be launched by El Mago and co-writer Alfredo Arango, who lives in the USA, on April 2, and we have invited numerous academics, writers and the local glitterati. So, as you are an expert in Colombian literature, I expect you’ll just love the event!

I also expect to just love El Mago Davila’s book, and doubtless will talk endlessly with co-author Arango on the way Colombian literature is always reinventing itself and showing the region’s good and ill as a microcosm of universal life on this planet. For FADJA, though, reinvention is also a key facet as it takes the new millennium in its stride with responsibility and always a touch of magic. There again it is Colombia, a land where El Dorado shines in the smile and music of its people and dramatic and bewitching geography.    

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